Policy Text
Kern County Sheriff’s Office
Policies and Procedures
TITLE:
CRITICAL INCIDENTS-HOSTAGE SITUATION
NO: H-200
APPROVED:
Donny Youngblood, Sheriff-Coroner
EFFECTIVE:
August 1, 1990
REVIEWED:
10/20/2020
REVISED:
04/01/1996
UPDATED:
11/28/2007
H-200-1
POLICY
The increasing use of hostages by an individual or group as a means to secure criminal, political,
or other personal objectives presents a serious law enforcement problem. The purpose of this
section is to provide direction, uniformity, and expertise in effectively dealing with hostage
situations and barricaded subjects.
The goals in these incidents are:
Secure and maintain complete operative control;
Protect the lives of every person involved;
Explore every source of available information regarding the circumstances, location,
and persons involved in the incident;
Attempt, by every means available, to attain tactical advantage over all suspects
involved, and ultimately, to effect the arrest of those persons resp