Policy Text
Policy Delano Police Department
406 Delano PD Policy Manual
Hostage and Barricade Incidents
406.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The_purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines for situations where officers have legal cause
to contact, detain or arrest a person, and the person refuses to submit to the lawful requests of
the officers by remaining in a structure or vehicle and/or by taking a hostage.
The scope of this policy is not intended to address all variables that officers encounter during
their initial response or when a hostage or barricade situation has developed. This policy does
not require or purport to recommend specific strategies or tactics for resolution as each incident
is a dynamic and rapidly evolving event.
406.1.1 DEFINITIONS
Definitions related to this policy include:
Barricade situation - An incident where a person maintains a position of cover or concealment
and ignores or resists law enforcement personnel, and it is reasonable to believe the subject is
armed with a dangerous or deadly weapon.
Hostage situation - An incident where it is reasonable to believe a person is:
(a) Unlawfully held by a hostage-taker as security so that specified terms or conditions
will be met.
(b) Unlawfully held against his/her will under threat or actual use of force.
406.2 POLICY
It is the policy of the Delano Police Department to address hostage and barricade situations with
due regard for the preservation of life and balancing the risk of injury, while obtaining the safe
release of hostages, apprehending offenders and securing available evidence.
406.3 COMMUNICATION
When circumstances permit, initial responding officers should try to establish and maintain lines
of communication with a barricaded person or hostage-taker. Officers should attempt to identify
any additional subjects, inquire about victims and injuries, seek the release of hostages, gather
intelligence information, identify time-sensitive demands or conditions and obtain the suspect’s
surrender.
When available, department-authorized negotiators should respond to the scene as soon as
practicable and assume communication responsibilities. Negotiators are permitted to exercise
flexibility in each situation based upon their training, the circumstances presented, suspect actions
or demands and the available resources.
406.3.1 EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS
Only an officer who has been designated by the District Attorney or Attorney General may use
or authorize the use of an electronic amplifying or recording device to eavesdrop on or record,
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2019/12/06, All Rights Reserved. Hostage and Barricade Incidents - 1
Published with permission by Delano Police Department