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Hostage Rescue Tactics
Mission Statement • An SWAT Members of a Law Enforcement Special Weapons and Tactics Unit must be able to operate in hostile conditions under extreme pressures with surgical skill for the safety of all law enforcement personnel, hostages, the general public, and the suspect(s). • Entry is always used as a last resort when all other means have been exhausted for a peaceful end to a critical incident.
What Is A Hostage ? • A person kept as a pledge pending the fulfillment of an agreement • A person held by another person as a security for the fulfillment of a certain demand • A hostage is a victim held against his or her will by threat or the actual use of force
Historical Perspective • Munich Olympics in 1972 focused the world’s attention on hostage incidents. • Holland -- may 1976 hostages held on train by Mollocan terrorists. • Entebbe, Uganda -- July 1976. • Mogadishu, Somalia -- Oct. 1977 rescue of passengers from airliner.
Historical Perspective continued … • Iran -- April 1980 American Hostages held at embassy • London, England -- May 1980 Hostages rescued from Iranian Embassy • Lima, Peru -- 1997 Hostages rescued from Japanese Embassy
Hostage Situation Types • Terrorists • Criminals • Targeted Individuals
What Is A Hostage ? • A person kept as a pledge pending the fulfillment of an agreement • A person held by another person as a security for the fulfillment of a certain demand • A hostage is a victim held against his or her will by threat or the actual use of force
Historical Perspective • Munich Olympics in 1972 focused the world’s attention on hostage incidents. • Holland -- may 1976 hostages held on train by Mollocan terrorists. • Entebbe, Uganda -- July 1976. • Mogadishu, Somalia -- Oct. 1977 rescue of passengers from airliner.
Historical Perspective continued … • Iran -- April 1980 American Hostages held at embassy • London, England -- May 1980 Hostages rescued from Iranian Embassy • Lima, Peru -- 1997 Hostages rescued from Japanese Embassy
Hostage Situation Types • Terrorists • Criminals • Targeted Individuals
Terrorist Hostage Taker • Political motivations • Committed to cause • In for the long haul, often able to endure extended periods of time barricaded
Criminal Hostage Taker • Caught in the commission of a crime. • Important not to create feelings of hopelessness during negotiations. • Hostages used to slow police response
Target Individuals • Mentally disturbed persons • May be irrational and/or suicidal • Prisoners • Historically, immediate and forceful action has proven most effective
Hostage Taking Response • Most incidents are local authority responsibility • Most incidents are not terrorism • Most incidents are criminals and/or mentally disturbed persons • The vast majority of incidents are resolved using the “negotiation” process
Patrol Supervisor Responsibilities • Evacuate citizens from target site area • Contain target site • Establish field command post • Summon emergency medical personnel • Establish outer perimeter for traffic and pedestrian control • Locate persons that can provide intelligence • Notify PIO and establish media area
TPD Simplified Command Structure For Typical Critical Incident
SWAT Commander’s Responsibilities • Delegate Supervisory Missions • Emergency Rescue Plan • Deliberate Rescue Plan • Negotiations with CNT • Tactical Operations Center
First SWAT Supervisor on Scene • Use rapid deployment tactics • Deploy marksmen/observer teams • Deploy emergency rescue team • Deploy containment personnel as needed • Insure the negotiation process has been initiated
Hostage Taker’s Actions • Release hostages / surrender • Release hostages / suicide • Kill hostages / suicide • Kill hostages / surrender • Continue to hold hostages • Kill one hostage / continue
Hostage Taker’s Actions • Flee after killing hostages • Exit with gun to his/her head • Exit and confront police with or without hostages • Exit surrounded by hostages
HOSTAGE TAKER’SACTIONS • Peril to the Hostages should be considered extreme if : - The Hostage taker is unnecessarily cruel to the Hostage(s) - When there is no human interaction between the Hostage taker and Hostage *Physical separation * Hostages blindfolded
Command Priorities • Hostages • Innocent civilians • Police personnel • Hostage taker
Hostage Rescue Tactics • The command decision to shoot the hostage taker • The Truth About Incident Command (Article by R.McCarthy)
Hostage Rescue Components • Command and control • Responsible for all ancillary operations • Special weapons team • Entry component • Containment component • Negotiations team • Should include tactical liaison and coordination with SWAT
Phases of a Hostage Rescue Operation • Planning • Rehearsal • Movement • Intervention • Withdrawal
Planning • Situation • Provides a brief summary of all that has transpired and any mitigating or aggravating circumstances that can affect the operation • Mission • Precisely defines the objective
Planning • Execution • How the objective is expected to be achieved • Administration & logistics • “Beans, bandages and bullets” • Command & signal • Who is in charge of what and how we will communicate
Planning • Planning is usually conducted in reverse • From the hostages to safety, not from the entry to the suspect • The focus is on the hostages not the suspect • May mean the suspect temporally remains free from authority’s custody
Planning • Opportunity, not Time, is the key factor • Time may provide opportunities, but passing opportunities may mean they are lost forever • Never commit to just One plan of Action • Alternate contingency plans should be developed and ready. • No operation is static and planning should be continuous
Rehearsal • Hostage rescue interventions are too complex and too important to leave anything to chance. • Rehearsals should be “full dress” whenever possible
Rehearsal • The rehearsal should include radio traffic and signals, as well as the planned movement • The last rehearsal should be done in “real” time utilizing the anticipated floor plan and any equipment likely to be needed.
Movement • The movement phase begins when it has determined that a tactical intervention is likely but not yet imminent • During this phase the team is deployed and staged in a position to intervene • Planning and preparation continue • Major plan changes now become more difficult
Movement • This is the phase in which secrecy is most crucial • The survival of the Hostages and Team members require that the Hostage Taker(s) do not suspect the intervention • The Media can not suspect your intentions
Intervention • Intervention phase begins when a tactical intervention is imminent • Command moves from incident commander to SWAT commander • Most visible phase • Most often the only part of the operation reported by the media
Intervention • Except under the most exigent circumstances, a tactical intervention to rescue the hostages should not be recommended without four things being present:
Intervention • 1. The floor plan of the Target Site must be known. • 2. The Entry Team must be in a position to intervene within ten seconds of the signal from the SWAT Commander • A window of opportunity or necessity may be lost if not
Intervention • 3. Sufficient personnel must be available to dominate all areas of threat • It is most often the complexity of the floor plan and not the size of the building which dictates the size of the entry team • 4. The entry team must be able to protect the hostages within a maximum of 30 seconds
Intervention • Ideally a hostage rescue entry is comprised of two preparatory actions • The team is staged at the point(s) of breach/entry • A diversion precedes the actual entry to confuse and disorient the hostage taker
Intervention • Breach and Entry Methods • Covert • Hooligan & Ram • Bar Pull • Shotgun Breach • Explosives
Intervention • Breach and entry methods • Entry should be made at the closest point possible to the hostages • When feasible use multiple breach/entry points and/or breach/gun ports
Intervention • Two types of Diversions • Physiological (explosive breach,noise flash devices, etc) • Psychological (ruse) • The ideal diversion is a “Coordinated Marksmen Initiated Intervention” • Diversions are always used in a supporting role
Intervention • Because of the high degree of coordination required coupled with the speed of the intervention; assignments must be understood and HRT principles rigidly adhered to.
Intervention • The first requirement is to assign individual team member responsibilities
Intervention • The next requirement is the determination of how to accomplish the entry • How do we get through the door? • What’s the best entry technique?
Basic Two Man Room Entry 1 2 2 1