A law enforcement leader and an accomplished entrepreneur, Jacob “Jake” Higgins worked as a Narcotics/Gang Detective for the Bluffton Police Department. While at Bluffton, Jacob Higgins initiated many case files and taught narcotics and gang-related classes. He was also certified as a crisis and hostage negotiator.
To be a successful crisis and hostage negotiator, one needs to:
– Be a team player. While a single person often handles the negotiation process, the negotiator needs to be able to work seamlessly with others, since getting hostages to safety involves teams from different law enforcement agencies.
– Think and act quickly. A negotiator will need to be able to gather information and make decisions quickly. Also, they need to assess whether the trajectory of the negotiations is promising or hard decisions have to be made to secure the hostages. However, even when the negotiations don’t go as expected, the negotiator should be confident in the decisions they make.
– Have an observing ego. An observing ego helps the negotiator to identify and manage his or her emotions. Consequently, a negotiator refrains from letting their emotions control the negotiation process, even when they are impatient, afraid, or angry. Other skills of a hostage negotiator include the ability to listen actively, deescalate a situation, work under pressure, and assess and take risks.
Jacob Higgins 