A person who wants to work as a hostage negotiator usually needs law enforcement training and experience. A hostage negotiator must also possess excellent communication skills, the ability to clearly communicate in the jurisdiction’s language, and the ability to remain calm and rational in a crisis situation. The requirements may differ from one jurisdiction to the next.
Individuals who are interested in hostage negotiations should first obtain a high school diploma or an acceptable equivalent. He or she could then go to college and major in criminal justice, psychology, or a related field. When it comes to communicating with criminals, such a course of study may be useful in assisting aspiring negotiators in understanding criminal motivations and how to appeal to them. However, many jurisdictions do not require prospective hostage negotiators to have a college diploma, and in some cases, law enforcement experience is valued more than a college diploma.
A person who wants to be a hostage negotiator should first work to become a police officer. This usually entails submitting an application to become a cop and passing a series of tests and evaluations, including psychological evaluations, background checks, and physical ability tests. In many jurisdictions, the individual must attend and graduate from the jurisdiction’s police academy, preferably with honors.
Individuals typically work for a police department after graduating from the police academy before moving on to negotiations. A person interested in this field may need at least five years of experience at this lower level in many places before moving on to this job. During that time, the law enforcement officer must keep a spotless record. If he hasn’t studied psychology before, now might be a good time for him to do so in order to prepare for the next stage of his career.
After gaining the necessary experience, an aspirant negotiator can apply to work as a hostage negotiator for his local law enforcement agency. If he is hired, he will be required to attend special training for his new position. Training lasts about two to four weeks on average, though some jurisdictions may have longer programs. Following completion of the required training, the individual may shadow a seasoned negotiator for a period of time to gain hands-on experience before handling a crisis on his own.