Crisis Negotiations Unit (CNU)

The Sioux Falls Police Department fields a six-person Crisis Negotiation Unit (CNU). The CNU consists of team members Detective Fiegen, Officer Hamlyn, Detective Schaefer, Officer Walton, Detective Colwill, and Team Leader Sgt. Ward. Each member is able to attend a 40-hour basic negotiation training course prior to serving as a primary negotiator. When new team members are selected and prior to their specialized training, they are tasked with assisting the team with equipment setup, gathering intelligence, etc., during call-outs. In 2008, the team took advantage of outside training such as “Incident Command for CNU Leaders.” In the spring, several negotiators attended annual training by the National Tactical Officer’s Association. Our newly appointed member attended the basic negotiations training instructed by FBI Commander Stephen Romano. The class was also attended by certified negotiators who used the class as a refresher. The CNU augments its training throughout the year with monthly meetings. The meetings focus on debriefing recent call-outs, equipment issues and needs, new ideas, and future scenarios and opportunities. The team also has members trained in the Crisis Intervention and Peer Support course (CISM). The CISM may be called out to assist agencies during and after critical incidents. Peer support members are available to help both agencies and individuals involved in a critical incident meet and discuss the incident and its impact on them.

The CNU is activated as part of the Crisis Response Team (CRT). The CNU functions in conjunction with SWAT and the Bomb Squad. The CNU responds to hostage situations, barricaded subjects, suicidal individuals, high-risk warrants, etc. The main purpose of the CNU is to preserve life during these critical situations, which includes the lives of law enforcement, citizens, and suspects. The goal of the negotiator is clear: zero acceptable loss.

The success of the CNU depends on several factors, but most importantly it depends on teamwork. Negotiations are not a solitary endeavour, but instead the result of a group of people supporting and working with each other with the common goal of bringing a potentially dangerous situation to a peaceful end.