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Held Hostage: Negotiating Life And Death For The Las Vegas Police Department
What do you say to prevent someone from committing ‘suicide-by-cop’? Or has a gun pointed at a hostage? Or an armed man who has barricaded himself in a hotel room? Or a despondent woman who is threatening to kill herself?
Veteran police negotiator Lieutenant Dennis Flynn spent nearly two decades responding to more than a thousand of these and other high-intensity incidents with the Crisis Negotiations Team in Las Vegas, Nevada. His goal? Bring ‘em out alive!
A behind-the-scenes view of life-and-death situations that police negotiators face and how they were resolved one way or the other under the bright lights and glitter of Sin City.
Veteran police negotiator Lieutenant Dennis Flynn spent nearly two decades responding to more than a thousand of these and other high-intensity incidents with the Crisis Negotiations Team in Las Vegas, Nevada. His goal? Bring ‘em out alive!
A behind-the-scenes view of life-and-death situations that police negotiators face and how they were resolved one way or the other under the bright lights and glitter of Sin City.
- GenresTrue CrimeNonfiction
287 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 22, 2017
33 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 30, 2017
A matter-of-fact account by retired Las Vegas police negotiator Lieutenant Dennis Flynn of real crisis situations faced during his illustrious career.
Each chapter first sets up the crisis situation that has arisen, then the perspective of the negotiators that arrive on the scene as the crisis unfolds and concluding with the mistakes made and lessons learnt.
The photographs at the end of each chapter really drives home the heart-wrenching realness of these tragic people during the very worst time of their lives.
Read Held Hostage and step into the shoes of these crisis negotiators to get a dose of reality - as bad as life can be, for some it becomes unbearable.
Each chapter first sets up the crisis situation that has arisen, then the perspective of the negotiators that arrive on the scene as the crisis unfolds and concluding with the mistakes made and lessons learnt.
The photographs at the end of each chapter really drives home the heart-wrenching realness of these tragic people during the very worst time of their lives.
Read Held Hostage and step into the shoes of these crisis negotiators to get a dose of reality - as bad as life can be, for some it becomes unbearable.
August 26, 2017
I really enjoyed the subject, reading about this special group that gets called out under the extremest of circumstances. Especially the retelling of different cases they went out on in the Las Vegas area, and how they handled them. If only there had been some proofreading to iron out the many issues with the text that made repeated grammar "speed bumps" that ruined the flow of readability. Missing words, extra words, strange context etc, I would have rated it much higher.
September 3, 2017
Learn the art of successful negotiation and what can go wrong in real-life hostage situations!
September 12, 2017
This is a non-fiction book that has real-life stories from the front lines with the Crisis Negotiation Team in Las Vegas. It has great details and gives you a fair idea of what goes on when people are in crisis. The people this team encounters are often mentally ill, on drugs, or simply broken. Every situation is different and not all of them have a happy ending.
As I read the stories, I tried to put myself in the position of a negotiator. Here you are, trying to save somebody's life, doing whatever you can do to see a peaceful resolution so you can all go home when it's over. It isn't easy. There is a fine balancing act between the negotiators and the SWAT team and if one of them fails, the whole operation fails. I can't imagine the stress and torment these people go through each time they go out on a call. It is beyond the worst stress I can even imagine.
The stories are gripping, riveting, and even heartfelt (don't forget to read the author's note at the end of the book). I found myself perilously close to tears more than once. The author did an awesome job of keeping it real, but still protecting us innocent readers from the gruesomeness that ensued at times.
This ain't no movie, folks. This is real life. It's given me a whole new respect for our law enforcement people, especially those who deal with hostage situations and people who are trying to take their own lives. They are a special breed.
While I was gaining even more respect for these people, I was appalled at the public. The author mentioned in two different stories that people were telling these people who threatened to jump from buildings and the Hoover Dam to actually JUMP! I saw nothing amusing about that. These people who are yelling stuff like that are the true sick ones. They should seek psychiatric care immediately.
The reason I gave the book four stars is because it needs another trip to the editor. There were several instances of wrong word usage (exasperated instead of exacerbated) and more than a few instances of using plural or singular words when not appropriate. However, it wasn't enough to take away from the power of the story.
I'm sure I will remember this book for years to come.
By the way, the unnamed SWAT Commander was a total jerk with a Rambo attitude. I hope he isn't doing this sort of work anymore.
*I received this book free of charge in return for an honest review
As I read the stories, I tried to put myself in the position of a negotiator. Here you are, trying to save somebody's life, doing whatever you can do to see a peaceful resolution so you can all go home when it's over. It isn't easy. There is a fine balancing act between the negotiators and the SWAT team and if one of them fails, the whole operation fails. I can't imagine the stress and torment these people go through each time they go out on a call. It is beyond the worst stress I can even imagine.
The stories are gripping, riveting, and even heartfelt (don't forget to read the author's note at the end of the book). I found myself perilously close to tears more than once. The author did an awesome job of keeping it real, but still protecting us innocent readers from the gruesomeness that ensued at times.
This ain't no movie, folks. This is real life. It's given me a whole new respect for our law enforcement people, especially those who deal with hostage situations and people who are trying to take their own lives. They are a special breed.
While I was gaining even more respect for these people, I was appalled at the public. The author mentioned in two different stories that people were telling these people who threatened to jump from buildings and the Hoover Dam to actually JUMP! I saw nothing amusing about that. These people who are yelling stuff like that are the true sick ones. They should seek psychiatric care immediately.
The reason I gave the book four stars is because it needs another trip to the editor. There were several instances of wrong word usage (exasperated instead of exacerbated) and more than a few instances of using plural or singular words when not appropriate. However, it wasn't enough to take away from the power of the story.
I'm sure I will remember this book for years to come.
By the way, the unnamed SWAT Commander was a total jerk with a Rambo attitude. I hope he isn't doing this sort of work anymore.
*I received this book free of charge in return for an honest review
May 13, 2021
Probably because I watch too many movies and tv shows, I always thought a crisis/hostage negotiator was a guy, usually disdained by other cops, who walked into the scene alone to talk on a phone with a desperate, holed-up person. At the same time that he is doing his emphatic thing and solving the mystery, he is doing his best to slow the roll of aggressive police or feds who think negotiating is useless and just want to go in with guns blazing. On film, the negotiator often ends up putting himself physically between the guns and the person in crisis to stop a tragic miscarriage of justice. So far, so good.
Boy, was I wrong. Negotiators work in teams, with back-up negotiators, scribes, psychologists, and researchers. Its never just two people talking. Communication constantly flows among them to keep the primary negotiator informed of all the facts, circumstances, language, and tactics needed to bring the situation to a peaceful conclusion with everyone alive. Apparently, there is sometimes still a need to rein in overeager SWAT teams, but not as often as one might think.
It was a fascinating look into this high pressure world. However, the book would have been so much better if the author had engaged the services of a competent editor or at least used Word and Grammar check. For instance, one spelling mistake author, Dennis Flynn, made repeatedly was to use the word "exasperate" when he should have used "exacerbate." It was often easy to spot where he had (probably self-) edited the grammar as he left in parts of the sentences he likely meant to replace. Other times, too many times, the grammar was just unwieldy and awkward. I had to stop a few times to work out exactly what he was trying to say.
Unfortunately, these repeated technical issues were distracting and took away from my enjoyment of an otherwise interesting and educational book.
Boy, was I wrong. Negotiators work in teams, with back-up negotiators, scribes, psychologists, and researchers. Its never just two people talking. Communication constantly flows among them to keep the primary negotiator informed of all the facts, circumstances, language, and tactics needed to bring the situation to a peaceful conclusion with everyone alive. Apparently, there is sometimes still a need to rein in overeager SWAT teams, but not as often as one might think.
It was a fascinating look into this high pressure world. However, the book would have been so much better if the author had engaged the services of a competent editor or at least used Word and Grammar check. For instance, one spelling mistake author, Dennis Flynn, made repeatedly was to use the word "exasperate" when he should have used "exacerbate." It was often easy to spot where he had (probably self-) edited the grammar as he left in parts of the sentences he likely meant to replace. Other times, too many times, the grammar was just unwieldy and awkward. I had to stop a few times to work out exactly what he was trying to say.
Unfortunately, these repeated technical issues were distracting and took away from my enjoyment of an otherwise interesting and educational book.
October 10, 2017
"Held Hostage" is about how hostage negotiators (now called Crisis Negotiations Teams) work in Las Vegas. Lieutenant Dennis Flynn worked as a part of the negotiator teams in Las Vegas from 1998 to 2015. He responded to over a thousand incidents, including suicide attempts, barricade situations, pseudo-hostage and hostage situations.
He started by briefly explaining about how he got interested in being a negotiator, the training he took, and the different positions/jobs on the team. He then provided details about ten incidents that he worked. He described the situation that the police responded to, what the scene was like when the CNT arrived, what they did, and why. He also analyzed what could have been done better and any changes they made to their procedures based on what they learned. He included pictures of the places these incidents took place so you can see what they were dealing with.
The author wrote in a way that a person unfamiliar with police, SWAT, or negotiator tools and terminology can easily understand what was going on. I better understand the challenging situations they face and how they deal with them. I'm amazed that they will spend hours talking people out of committing suicide, but horrified that passersby will call out to these hurting people to jump. Overall, I'd recommend this book to those interested in what negotiators do.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
He started by briefly explaining about how he got interested in being a negotiator, the training he took, and the different positions/jobs on the team. He then provided details about ten incidents that he worked. He described the situation that the police responded to, what the scene was like when the CNT arrived, what they did, and why. He also analyzed what could have been done better and any changes they made to their procedures based on what they learned. He included pictures of the places these incidents took place so you can see what they were dealing with.
The author wrote in a way that a person unfamiliar with police, SWAT, or negotiator tools and terminology can easily understand what was going on. I better understand the challenging situations they face and how they deal with them. I'm amazed that they will spend hours talking people out of committing suicide, but horrified that passersby will call out to these hurting people to jump. Overall, I'd recommend this book to those interested in what negotiators do.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
October 18, 2017
Held Hostage is a unique book, providing readers with intimate insight into hostage negotiations. The author takes us through a variety of cases he worked. With each case, we start with an overview of the situation, including the area, the people involved, and events leading up the the Crisis Negotiation Team being called in. The author then shares a fairly thorough step-by-step process of what he and his team did in the situation. And, finally, the author offers a "Lessons Learned" section, where he sums up what the team did right, what they could have done better, and what was learned by the experience.
These stories are a fascinating study in human nature, as well as in police response to deadly situations. Learning how the police handle these things behind the scenes is enlightening.
The writing has some problems. There is a lot more telling than showing, so, while interesting, this isn't the strong emotional read it could have been. Sentence structure is, at times, awkward. Also, there are quite a lot of editing issues, creating stumbling points for readers throughout. This book would benefit from a good editor.
Overall, this reads more like a training manual than a compelling narrative. In fact, I think this book should be read by law enforcement personnel who are training in this particular field.
*I was provided with an ebook copy by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.*
These stories are a fascinating study in human nature, as well as in police response to deadly situations. Learning how the police handle these things behind the scenes is enlightening.
The writing has some problems. There is a lot more telling than showing, so, while interesting, this isn't the strong emotional read it could have been. Sentence structure is, at times, awkward. Also, there are quite a lot of editing issues, creating stumbling points for readers throughout. This book would benefit from a good editor.
Overall, this reads more like a training manual than a compelling narrative. In fact, I think this book should be read by law enforcement personnel who are training in this particular field.
*I was provided with an ebook copy by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.*
January 14, 2018
This is a unique book. Very interesting stories for those not in the game. For those that are, there are plenty of teachable ideas and conclusions. People who think they have seen it all on shows like Live PD and COPS, will find something new within these pages. The first run of this book was not edited correctly, but those problems have been fixed in newer editions.
Try it out, it is a quick and highly interesting view that most will never get in real life. The Author, who I admit is a friend, is a great negotiator and a great cop. Within this book he is very sympathetic toward the people who cause SWAT responses. I am aware of his effectiveness as a police officer, but as a negotiator he recognized that empathy for those in crisis, even when they are the cause, is necessary to peacefully resolve these situations.
This is a great book for cops to read and discuss. Whatever techniques you use, there is plenty between these covers to prompt some evaluation and consideration.
Try it out, it is a quick and highly interesting view that most will never get in real life. The Author, who I admit is a friend, is a great negotiator and a great cop. Within this book he is very sympathetic toward the people who cause SWAT responses. I am aware of his effectiveness as a police officer, but as a negotiator he recognized that empathy for those in crisis, even when they are the cause, is necessary to peacefully resolve these situations.
This is a great book for cops to read and discuss. Whatever techniques you use, there is plenty between these covers to prompt some evaluation and consideration.
March 20, 2021
Held Hostage' is the real and raw stories of one of Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department's most experienced Hostage/Crisis Negotiators. This is a true-life collection of stories that reveal not only the hard-hitting life and death tales from his incredible career but reveals the humanity of a policeman. This book is an amazingly easy read and was hard to put down. The book tells the stories of real-life incidents while pointing out effective strategies as well as mistakes made. 'Held Hostage' is filled with valuable lessons learned. There are also some particularly good photographs of each negotiation after you read the story.
Thanks again Wildblue Press for the book. I am part of the ARC group and this is my honest review.
Thanks again Wildblue Press for the book. I am part of the ARC group and this is my honest review.
November 17, 2017
This was really good, I can't believe how fast I flied through the pages. Love the writing and intensity. I'd hate to be in those situations but I like how Mr. Flynn learned by certain mistakes made, but how are you going to learn you know? I learned a lot about Las Vegas sites and it's neighborhood. The pictures are great, didn't know pictures are taken in those moments. These stories were truly heartbreaking though but I love the compassion by the negotiator and officers to end things peacefully. I really enjoyed this book and would like to read more like this.
Thank you Amanda Luedeke, Good Reads, Wild Blue Press and the Author Dennis Flynn for the free copy.
Cherie'
Thank you Amanda Luedeke, Good Reads, Wild Blue Press and the Author Dennis Flynn for the free copy.
Cherie'
August 24, 2017
It takes a special kind of person to be a hostage negotiator. Nerves of steel, unwavering commitment, and a big heart. Imagine sitting down with such a person and letting them tell you the inside story of their best and worst cases, what happened, how, and why. It's riveting. From the first case to the last, Dennis Flynn puts you on the edge of your seat and keeps you there. Hold on tight.
November 14, 2018
True crime story
This an interest book, since it goods behind the scenes giving the readers the essential workings of crises negotiators. This job takes patience and the ability to understand people
Leading how. It worked is interesting
This an interest book, since it goods behind the scenes giving the readers the essential workings of crises negotiators. This job takes patience and the ability to understand people
Leading how. It worked is interesting
March 15, 2019
It seems like it's a compilation of police action reports of frankly quite boring hostage situations - mostly suicidal loons.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews