The Detail Newsletter DECEMBER 2023

CRISIS NEGOTIATORS WORK together TO SAVE LIVES

In 2007, Deputy Dana O'Neill was working as a School Resource Officer but decided she wanted to do even more to help people. She loved her job as a deputy sheriff but knew she had special skills that could benefit others.

"I love the one-on-one conversation to be able to connect with people. Throughout my law enforcement career, I've had the opportunity to learn and hone new communication skills. I'm not only able to use these skills for negotiating, but in every day interactions. I like to help people resolve their issues in a peaceful way and get everyone home safely," says Deputy Dana O'Neill.

So Deputy O'Neill joined the Crisis Negotiations Team which works together alongside the SWAT Team to bring safe resolutions to critical incidents. They do this by making contact with the subject and gathering intelligence information they can relay to the SWAT commander. The team deploys to scenes with special equipment in a large van that can hold a team of up to six negotiators:

1. A primary negotiator who does the communicating with the subject;
2. A coach who assists the primary;
3. A scribe who documents and takes notes while the negotiating is taking place;
4. An intel analyst who gathers intelligence;
5. A team leader who supports the team and relays information to the team sergeant; and
6. A team sergeant who oversees the entire team.

"We're deployed to situations where somebody is in a crisis -- whether someone is taken hostage, there's a barricaded subject, someone wanted for a high-risk warrant, or an armed suicidal person. Our job is to talk with people to try to influence their behavior toward a positive and peaceful outcome," says Deputy O'Neill.

While hostage-taking incidents are the highest profile of all their calls, they're not very common. Less than 10% of calls across the country involve a hostage taken against their will. Typical calls include people suffering from depression, mental illness, under the influence of drugs or alcohol or even a change in life status.

"Most of our calls involve situations like a divorce or losing custody of the kids or losing the house. There's a lot of perceived loss. Combine that with a loss of hope and they may have hit rock bottom and feel this is their only course of action," says Deputy Daniel Donohue.

While all of these situations can be very difficult and unpredictable, they can be effectively managed through trained negotiators. The team can be instrumental in safely resolving the situation and reducing the chances of injury or loss of life.

"We are a life-saving team. We not only save the subject from taking their life or another person's life by de-escalating the situation, but we also save a deputy from being in a position of having to use their weapon," says Deputy Donohue.

The Crisis Negotiation Team trains together on a regular basis. Once a month, they conduct training exercises which include crisis scenarios and team building. Deputy O'Neill says they're always prepared and ready to deploy on a moment's notice.

"If we can help people, not just the suspect, but everybody, go home safely, we've done our job."

PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS ON THE RISE

By Deputy Benjamin Sears, Traffic Safety Unit

“Hey I’m walking here!” Yes, it's true. Pedestrians do have the right of way, but there are times when even they must stop and adhere to traffic laws. In February, our Traffic Unit investigated two auto vs. pedestrian crashes within five days of each other in the city of Centennial. In the first one, the pedestrian unfortunately was killed. In the other, they sustained serious bodily injury. Since February, we've investigated 31 more. Across the state, the number of auto vs. pedestrian crashes (including fatal ones) is higher this year than previous years.

According to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), as of September 30, there were 87 pedestrian fatalities on Colorado roadways, up from 78 this time last year. Non-fatal pedestrian crashes are up too. Most fatal crashes occur at night.

One thing to keep in mind, a vehicle travelling at 35 miles per hour can take approximately 55 feet to stop even when the driver hits the brakes hard. So before stepping into the roadway, always make sure vehicles see you and are obviously slowing down before you start to cross. Drivers MUST make sure to yield to pedestrians. We want all of our citizens to safely get from one place to another.

Here's a few more tips:

• When walking at night, make sure to wear bright-colored clothing or reflective gear. Dark clothing and a dark area makes it very hard to be seen.
• Make sure the lighting is visible all around you.
• Even if you have the walk signal at a traffic light, make sure you are easily seen as a vehicle turning may not see you until it is too late.
• At night, a vehicle’s headlights may not point at someone in the crosswalk until the vehicle is mid-turn. Drivers must be vigilant to the possibility of an obstacle anytime they are driving.
• Utilize pedestrian warning lights (flashing yellow lights on poles) at crosswalks.
• At intersections, press the walk button and wait until you have a walk signal.

Lastly, please adhere to this advice if you are ever involved in an auto vs. pedestrian crash:

1. REMAIN AT THE SCENE. There is a penalty for leaving the scene (even if you weren’t the cause) and you will be in more trouble.
2. DO NOT MOVE ANY ITEMS FROM THE SCENE. This includes cell phones, shoes, clothing, etc. Leave everything where it came to rest. This is evidence which can assist with the crash investigation.

Click the button below to learn more about Colorado Pedestrian Laws.