An officer's worst nightmare: lessons learned from being taken hostage.

On patrol at night, you are in your own world. Your shift started a couple of hours earlier, and it is midweek. You begin thinking that it may be a slow night. Suddenly, your radio crackles with the sound of an officer screaming for assistance. It will get worse before it gets better. The calm night you thought you were going to have is gone, and an officer's worst nightmare has begun. Based on reports, radio traffic, firsthand information, and subsequent investigative evidence, this narrative details a true account of one deputy's experience of being taken hostage.

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The Call for Service

The deputy responded to a call concerning a domestic dispute in a rural area. The caller had advised, "There's a guy outside beating up his wife or girlfriend." A commonplace occurrence for American law enforcement officers in rural jurisdictions, backup--while not close--was responding as quickly as possible.

Nothing appeared out of the ordinary at the location, a large two-story home being used as a multiunit inexpensive rooming house. Many of the residents had prior contacts with the sheriff's department, and deputies were familiar with the dwelling.

The deputy parked midway up the driveway, walked toward the house, and saw several people go inside. Two males appeared out of the darkness from the garage area, and a minivan with fresh damage was parked nearby. Subsequent investigation would reveal that as the female involved in the dispute (the suspect's wife) tried to leave, she had backed into a tree.

The deputy continued walking up the driveway and made contact with the male who was the reason for the 911 call. The deputy requested identification. The suspect, known as Billy, was 26 years old, 5'9" tall, and weighed 175 pounds, with a muscular build. He was polite, calm, and cooperative, displaying no signs of resistance. The deputy asked about some scratch marks on his neck. Billy replied that they were from the accident and that there was no problem. The conversation lasted less than 2 minutes. Then, the deputy saw the handle of a knife with the blade stuck under Billy's watchband.

Standing approximately 2 to 3 feet from Billy, the deputy asked him for the knife. In response, Billy drew it and slashed the deputy's face. Then, he knocked the deputy to the ground and took the service weapon. At the same time, the deputy screamed into the portable radio for assistance and turned away, attempting to protect the firearm. Billy shoved the gun into the back of the deputy's neck saying, "I can paralyze you." Billy's wife yelled at him to stop, but the deputy had now become a hostage.

The Nightmare Begins

The hostage's radio scream had officers from every jurisdiction within miles responding to assist. The first backup officer pulled into the driveway and exited the vehicle with weapon drawn. Billy used the hostage as a shield as he turned and fired his first shot at that officer who then radioed. "Shots fired." Billy's wife ran to the backup officer, grabbing him and screaming not to hurt her husband. The officer managed to calm her and placed her in the patrol unit for safety reasons.

The second arriving officer was the focus of the second shot. At this point, the hostage began counting rounds fired and talking to Billy in an attempt to calm him. While continuing to yell at the responding officers, Billy pulled the hostage down one side of the house.

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The second backup officer moved down the other side of the residence. As Billy and the hostage came into view, the officer saw that the hostage had slipped down near Billy's waistline. Billy still had the revolver pointed at the hostage's head. The officer aimed and fired at Billy's head but missed. Billy spun around and shouted, "Who ... is shooting at me?" Billy pulled the hostage into the residence, occupied by about a dozen people who ranged from infants to a man in a wheelchair. Then, the third shot was fired. Additional officers arrived and set up a perimeter around the house.

Billy demanded the hostage's duty belt and protective vest, but the hostage started talking to him in an attempt to calm him and divert his attention. Billy tried to get the belt off but failed. The hostage began removing and throwing items from the duty belt to keep Billy from using them. The fourth shot was fired. After they moved to a second-floor window on the driveway side, the fifth shot was fired, right beside the hostage's ear. Those inside the house continued to yell at Billy who became more agitated and scared.

Billy began telling the hostage about his children, saying that he was a good father and loved his kids, but that all cops were bad and would hurt or kill him. The hostage told him about a 12-year-old daughter and how important it was to be a proud parent. (In truth, the hostage had no children.) Billy turned his attention back to the duty belt, but nothing of value remained, except handcuffs. He tried to get them, saying, "Cuff me and shoot me." (1) The hostage continued to speak calmly to him.

Officers then heard the sixth shot but were not certain of the total number of rounds fired or those, if any, that remained. The hostage had thrown one of two speed loaders out the second-floor window, and the other had fallen out on the first floor. Billy attempted to use the hostage's portable radio, but to no avail.

Pushing and shoving the hostage down the stairs, Billy tried to get the vest off, yelling, "Rip your shirt off like your life depends on it." The hostage unbuttoned only two buttons before trying to calm Billy again.

Under the direction of a second-shift SWAT sergeant, responding officers formed a reaction team with officers from three different departments and set up near the garage. One reaction team member began to negotiate with Billy who was screaming from the first floor near the door.

Finally, Billy exited the door, holding the gun to the head of the hostage, not allowing a clear shot due to the positioning of the hostage in front of him. When Billy loosened his grip and lowered the firearm slightly as he reached for a cigarette, the hostage broke free and fled. Billy yelled and scrambled back inside the house. The hostage was free, but the incident was not over.

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The Nightmare Ends

The SWAT commander and the SWAT K-9 deputy arrived at the scene within seconds of the hostage breaking free. To the commander's surprise, a tap on the shoulder turned out to be the hostage who immediately told him that Billy was out of rounds, the pepper spray was somewhere downstairs, and an unknown number of people remained in the house.

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Negotiations with Billy continued. A SWAT rifle team and additional SWAT members were briefed and deployed. Finally, Billy announced, "I'm coming out; don't shoot mc." He exited the residence with both hands in the air, holding the pistol in his right hand while asking the officers to shoot him but then dropped the weapon. Officers took Billy into custody. SWAT members entered the residence and secured the scene. (2)

The Instructive Consequences

A review of this incident revealed some negative and positive elements. The author presents both as a way to help other law enforcement officers who may face such a situation in the future and not as an attempt to establish blame or responsibility.

One officer responding from a nearby department lost control and crashed the patrol vehicle. Injured but not willing to quit, the officer flagged down another unit and went to the scene. In such cases, "if you don't get to the call, you don't do anyone any good" can represent an adage worth remembering.

Due to different radio frequencies among officers from the various jurisdictions, communication issues arose. The officers, however, did not let this affect the operation. They communicated via a "human projection modulator": they yelled at each other.

A perimeter officer armed with a .223-caliber rifle saw Billy in a window and later said, "I had a clear shot but did not see him with a weapon." Such dilemmas for officers faced with using deadly force occur in many situations. However, thorough knowledge and understanding of legal issues and departmental policies can reduce these concerns. (3)

The deputy taken hostage thought Billy was not a threat because he was polite and cooperative. But, politeness and cooperation do not always mean compliance. In addition, once the knife came into view, the deputy continued to think that Billy would comply with the request to surrender it. Completely aware of these misperceptions and the first to admit them, the deputy later commented, "I was stupid and screwed up." (4)

In contrast and equally important, what took place after being taken hostage speaks volumes for the deputy's tactical and survival mind-set. Would you have thought to throw away extra ammunition from your duty belt? Would you shout out to fellow officers on the perimeter how many rounds the person shoving a gun into your ear has fired? Would you think to lower your center of gravity to give other officers a possible shot at someone threatening to kill you? Would you be able to talk to the assailant and turn his attention away from removing your protective vest and killing you? Would you have the presence of mind to start giving tactical information seconds after you escaped from the most horrifying event of your life? These positive actions undoubtedly contributed greatly to the deputy's survival.

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Solid negotiation skills also played a major role in the successful outcome of the incident. Are you prepared to negotiate for your own life? You will not have time to wish you had some type of negotiation training if you ever are taken hostage. Deflection pulled the anger away when Billy tried to remove the deputy's protective vest. Changing the subject, asking questions, and redirecting what was happening also proved beneficial. In addition, the officer on the perimeter negotiating with Billy had no formal negotiator training but functioned incredibly well under extreme circumstances. Although coached, he did much of the negotiation on his own. Should all patrol officers be trained in basic negotiation skills? Some law enforcement agencies, especially those in rural areas where trained negotiators can be miles away, may want to consider such options. After all, "One hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the most skillful. Subduing the other's military without battle is the most skillful." (5)

Conclusion

To protect and serve are the watchwords of the law enforcement profession. Officers are sworn to protect innocent lives and serve the members of their communities. But, how many officers know how to protect themselves? The deputy in this case made some mistakes but also some excellent decisions once taken hostage that contributed greatly to the positive outcome of the situation. Other officers must learn from such incidents because as Sun Tzu said, "Knowing the other and knowing oneself, in one hundred battles no danger. Not knowing the other and knowing oneself, one victory for one loss. Not knowing the other and not knowing oneself, in every battle certain defeat." (6)

Endnotes

(1) For additional information on the phenomenon of suicide by cop, see Anthony J. Pinizzotto, Edward F. Davis, and Charles E. Miller III, "Suicide by Cop: Defining a Devastating Dilemma," FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, February 2005, 8-20.

(2) The perpetrator was tried, convicted, and sentenced to 12 years in prison. The deputy taken hostage and all involved officers were debriefed and received postincident counseling to combat the psychological effects of this traumatic incident in accordance with departmental policies.

(3) For additional information on the use of deadly force, see Shannon Bohrer, Harry A. Kern, and Edward F. Davis, "The Deadly Dilemma: Shoot or Don't Shoot?" FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, March 2008, 7-12; and Charles Joyner and Chad Basile, 'The Dynamic Resistance Response Model: A Modern Approach to the Use of Force," FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, September 2007, 15-20.

(4) For an overview of officer and offender perceptions, see Anthony J. Pinizzotto and Edward F. Davis, "Offenders' Perceptual Shorthand: What Messages Are Law Enforcement Officers Sending to Offenders?" FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, June 1999, 1-4; and Anthony J. Pinizzotto. Edward F. Davis, and Charles E. Miller III, "Officers' Perceptual Short hand: What Messages Are Offenders Sending to Law Enforcement Officers?" FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, July 2000, 1-6.

(5) Sun Tzu, The Art of War: A New Translation by the Demna Translation Group (Boston, MA; Shambhala Publications, Inc., 2001).

(6) Ibid.

Sergeant Hausner is the SWAT commander for the Walworth County, Wisconsin, Sheriff's Department.