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The
availability of a negotiations trailer will allow for the equipment to
be set up and in place prior to being utilized at an incident. The
trailer will be self contained and allow for immediate deployment. This
will enable negotiations to begin in a shorter time frame, potentially
bringing resolution to an incident more rapidly.
Crisis
Negotiations are a critical element in the peaceful resolution of
barricaded or hostage incidents. Currently the Peoria police department
negotiations unit must rely on and adapt to spontaneous locations to
conduct negotiations. These scenarios are not conducive to successful
negotiations. In worse case scenarios if negotiations fail, someone may
be injured or killed. It is critical that negotiators be secluded from
the general command of an incident, and not inconvenience residents or
businesses. Negotiations may last from 1 to 2 hours up to 12 to 16
hours. There have been extreme cases in which a stand off has lasted
several days.
The
critical and vital role the negotiators play in this situation
necessitates a platform from which to negotiate. The Peoria Police
department averages 6 negotiations incidents a year within our city
limits and additionally assists neighboring agencies on an average of 3
negotiations incidents a year. With
a dedicated place for the negotiations to take place, the negotiations
will be more likely to lead to a successful outcome. It is imperative
for public safety that negotiators be in an environment that allows them
to accomplish their goal. Negotiation is the most critical element of
any volatile situation. National Statistics show that negotiations are
successful in over 98% of all critical incidents.
Governor
Richard Narcia of the Gila River Indian Community presented the grant
award to Mayor John Keegan, Councilmember Vicki Hunt, and Peoria Police
Officials on Monday, November 22, 2004, at the City of Peoria’s Public
Safety Administration Building. Having
been awarded the funds, the department will now begin the process of
accepting bids for the design and manufacture of this equipment. Due to
the specialized nature of this equipment, it cannot be purchased “off
the shelf”, and Lt. Scott Lekan, who manages the Department’s Crisis
Negotiation Unit, estimates the trailer should be operational within six
months. Without the generosity of the Gila River Indian Community, this
equipment would not have been made available this year due to other
priorities in the Department’s budget.
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