How to Become a Police Negotiator
The question of how to become a police negotiator first occurred to me after an incident in Prague 4 on 16 December 2009.
Where the Decision Began
The question of how to become a police negotiator first occurred to me after an incident in Prague 4 on 16 December 2009. That day, a customer entered a Komerční banka branch on Novodvorská Street, demanded three million Czech korunas in cash and took several employees hostage, including the branch manager. I was deployed as leader of a Public Order Unit squad. Our task was to secure the perimeter and prepare the area for the URNA tactical unit and police negotiators.
Until then, I knew nothing about police negotiators. However, I spotted the head of my unit among them: instead of commanding the operation, he was conducting the negotiation himself. Their work immediately caught my interest. The very next day, I went to see him and asked directly for a position as a negotiator.
Three Routes into Negotiation
The key point is that only a police officer can become a police negotiator – not a prison officer, firefighter, or municipal police officer. There are generally three routes into the role. An officer may volunteer, as I did, or an experienced negotiator may notice an officer during an operation and see that they would fit the team. The third and least common route involves a tactical unit, where each of its four teams must include one negotiator. When one leaves, the unit must find a replacement, often among its other members.
The key point is that only a police officer can become a police negotiator – not a prison officer, firefighter, or municipal police officer.
Preselection: Motivation and Experience
The next stage is an informal selection process called “preselection,” which invites all interested candidates. The regional negotiation coordinator, a psychologist, a regional negotiator, and a negotiator from URNA conduct it. The process may vary by region; what follows is based on my experience in Prague.
During my preselection, we were asked about our motivation and experience. We were told that the ideal candidate was an older police officer who had served for many years and been through difficult situations – a divorce, debt enforcement, a death in the family, a serious illness, or problems at work. But experience alone was not enough. What mattered was whether the candidate had gained professional and personal maturity from those experiences and learned to cope with them.
What the Role Requires
We were then told that the role meant serving voluntarily, with full commitment and no additional pay, even in dangerous crises. A negotiator needs a supervisor willing to release them for on-call duty and must be able to communicate and improvise. The panel avoided senior commanders because their authority could conflict with the negotiator’s role.
Testing Through Simulated Scenarios
We then moved on to simulated scenarios. First, two opposing teams negotiated a set issue; in my case, whether euthanasia should be legalized. The panel observed how we spoke, responded to emotions and arguments, led the team, and adapted to changing moods, instructions, or excessive demands.
Passing Was Only the Beginning
It was a demanding day, and only two of the twenty candidates passed. My colleague ultimately didn't become a negotiator because his supervisor changed his mind and no longer released him for the role. I was fortunate: my supervisor was also the coordinator of the entire Prague team and nominated me himself.
But that was only the beginning. I still had to wait almost two years for a spot to open on the Prague team before I could attend the two-week police negotiator course. The wait was worth it.