NEW ALBANY POLICE DEPARTMENT - New Albany, Ohio

14.4.9 Hostage
In the event a hostage situation occurs, the on duty supervisor or his/her designee shall contact
the Columbus Division of Police Hostage Negotiating Team and/or the SWAT team and request
their assistance. Dispatch personnel will provide the responding agency with as much
information on the incident as possible. When available, the on duty supervisor will notify the
Chief of Police who will notify the City Manager as soon as practical.
While there are many variables that must be considered during a hostage situation, the primary
concern should be for the safety of the hostage(s) and those in the immediate area. Officers
arriving to a hostage situation should make every effort to confine the hostage taker to a single
location and minimize his/her movements. Other steps that should be taken are:
Evacuate nearby homes and businesses to prevent bystanders from getting hurt or from
becoming potential hostages.
Create a perimeter to control the crime scene and to prevent ingress of the public or media.
Secure the structure where the hostage taker’s is located and prevent the hostage taker
from leaving the scene.
If necessary, disable area vehicles to prevent them from being used as escape vehicles.
Begin to gather intelligence on the hostage taker.
Determine if the hostage taker has a history of mental illness, drug abuse or dependency
and a possible criminal background.
Determine if the hostage taker has weapons, and if so, what kind and how many.
Determine the hostage taker’s demands, needs, wants or why hostages have been taken.
Try to make contact with the hostage taker as soon as practical, preferably by landline
phone or cell phone.
Create a designated area for a law enforcement command center.
Create a separate location for media debriefings.
Locate or contact available relatives or friends who may be of assistance to hostage
negotiators.
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