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<br /> <br />Policy & Procedure Page 1 of 6 <br /> <br />Lexington Police <br />Department <br />Subject: Hostage Negotiations <br /> <br /> <br />Policy Number: <br /> 46C Accreditation Standards: <br />Reference: 46.1.2 Effective Date: <br />3/11/13 <br /> New <br /> Revised <br />Revision <br />Dates: <br />1/24/19 <br /> <br />By Order of: Mark J. Corr, Chief of Police <br /> <br />The Municipal Police Institute, Inc. (MPI) is a private, nonprofit charitable affiliate of the <br />Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association. MPI provides training and model policies <br />and procedures for police agencies. This policy is an edited version of MPI Policy <br />7.XX, “Hostage Negotiations.” <br /> <br />GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS AND GUIDELINES <br /> <br />The primary overriding objective of police officers responding to any hostage <br />confrontation is the preservation of lives, including those of the hostages, the citizens <br />in the area, police personnel and the hostage-taker. The secondary concerns are the <br />apprehension of the perpetrator and recovery of any property seized. <br /> <br />It is the policy of the Lexington Police Department in any hostage situation that: <br /> <br /> To give the highest priority to protecting lives during a hostage situation; <br /> Arrest and recovery of seized property are secondary to the preservation of <br />lives. <br /> <br /> <br />PROCEDURE <br /> <br />A. Arrival at Scene <br /> <br />1. The first officers arriving at the scene of a hostage situation should <br />avoid the impulse to take immediate action and confront the hostage- <br />taker(s). Officers should: <br /> <br />a. Make an immediate assessment of the situation; <br />b. Advise the Commanding Officer and/or the Patrol Supervisor of <br />the circumstances and the need for assistance from tactical and <br />negotiations personnel; and <br />c. Isolate the incident area. <br />