Police Practice Negotiation Skills

RUTLAND — The hostage negotiation wasn’t real, but it felt that way to Detective Keith Lorman.

The Rutland City Police veteran called the situation “intense” — a half-hour stand-off with another negotiator posing as a distraught woman who just lost her job and threatened suicide.

...During a two-day course designed to update training for both city and state police, officers were exposed to high-pressure situations driven by everything from family crises to addiction and mental health issues.

All had the potential to end in violence and negotiators had to deal with demands, phone hang-ups and the angry shouts of hostage takers. But no matter how desperate the situation, state police Lt. Reg Trayah, who oversaw the training, said a good negotiator has a chance to resolve matters peacefully.

“There are no no-win situations in my book,” Trayah said.