1. POLICE NEGOTIATORSSCRIPT CBS4 MIAMI SHERYL KAHN,PRODUCER
A VETERAN... SUFFERING FROM POST TRAUMATICSTRESS DISORDER...
..CLIMBS ONTO AN OVERPASS ON THE TURNPIKE IN MIRAMAR...
NATSOUND (FROM SCENE)
WITH TRAFFIC AT A STANDSTILL... HE'S EVENTUALLY TALKED DOWN BY POLICE
NEGOTIATORS.
IN MIAMI... A TROUBLED VET BARRICADES HIMSELF INSIDE HIS APARTMENT...UNTILHE'S
CONVINCED TO SURRENDER BY A POLICE NEGOTIATOR...WHO IS HIMSELF A VET.
AND JUST THURSDAY.....ANOTHER MIAMI MAN...BELIEVED TO BE SUICIDAL...
BARRICADES HIMSELF INSIDE HIS MIAMI HOME....UNTIL HE’S FINALLY CONVINCED TO GIVE
HIMSELF UP.
NATSOUND (FROM SCENE)
EVERY YEAR, NEW HOSTAGE NEGOTIATORS ARE TAUGHT TECHNIQUES TO END SITUATIONS
LIKE THESE WITHOUT ANYONE GETTING HURT...
IT'S A SKILL THAT REQUIRES A DELICATE TOUCH...
NATSOUND (FROM TRAINING SESSION)
IN THIS SCENARIO... THE PART OF THE TROUBLED VET IS PLAYED BY VETERAN SERGEANT
DAN HANNAH...
..LIKE THE CHARACTER HE'S PLAYING...HANNAH HAS SEEN COMBAT DURING TW OTOURS IN
THE MIDDLE EAST.
((SOT))
SGT. DANIEL HANNAH
“I SERVED DURING OPERATION DESERT STORM, AND THEN AGAIN, YEARS LATER, IN IRAQ. I
SAW THINGS THAT I REALLY DON’T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT. IT’S STILL HARD TO SLEEP
SOMETIMES, BUT I’M GETTING A LOT BETTER THAN I WAS. I’VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT.”
..BECAUSE OF THAT,HE SAYS, HE UNDERSTANDS HOW SOME OF THOSE HE DEALS WITH ON
THE JOB FEEL UNAPPRECIATED AND ALONE.
NATSOUND (NEGOTIATOR TALKING TO DAN HANNAH, PORTRAYINGTHE SUBJECT)
“I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW I APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE AND I WANT TO THANK YOU”

2. HANNAH SAYS SIMPLY ACKNOWLEDGING THOSE FEELINGS CAN HELP.
AND HE TRIES TO DO JUST THAT.
((SOT))
DAN HANNAH,POLICE NEGOTIATOR
“WHEN I TALK TO THEM, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, LISTEN TO THEM, I TRY TO BUILD
RAPPORT WITH THEM”
DR. SCOTT ALLEN...THE DEPARTMENT'S SENIOR STAFF PSYCHOLOGIST...SAYS HE AND
OTHER LEADERS ARE VERY SELECTIVE ABOUT WHO THEY CHOOSE TO JOIN THE HOSTAGE
NEGOTIATING TEAM.
((SOT))
DR. SCOTT ALLEN, SENIOR STAFF PSYCHOLOGIST, MIAMI-DADE POLICE DEPT.
“WE LOOK FOR VERY CALM PEOPLE, WE LOOK FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE EMPATHETIC, HAVE
THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND THE FEELINGS OF OTHERS”
THEY ALSO LOOK FOR PEOPLE WITH LOTS OF PATIENCE.
DETECTIVE JENNIFER CAPOTE...A SINGLE MOM WITH FOUR KIDS...SAYS THAT MAY BE THE
MAIN REASON WHY SHE WAS PICKED.
BUT LIKE OTHER TRAINEES... CAPOTE SAYS THE REAL TEST WILL COME WHEN SHE GOES
OUT ON HER FIRST CALL.
((SOT))
JENNIFER CAPOTE
“YOU WONDER WHAT THE OUTCOME IS GONNA BE AND YOU HOPE FOR THE BEST AND THAT
YOU'RE ACTUALLY ABLE TO SAVE SOMEBODY'S LIFE AND GET THEM THE HELP THEY NEED”
TEAM LEADERS SAY THAT’S THEIR MAIN GOAL…
AND THAT’S WHY THEY'RE ALWAYS WORKING TO IMPROVE NEGOTIATORS’ TECHNIQUES…
...AND LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES WITH THE SKILL… AND ESPECIALLY THE TEMPERAMENT…TO
JOIN THEIR RANKS.
-----------, CBS 4 NEWS.