SEMINAR

This presentation will debrief two cases involving negotiations in unusual environments. The first case occurred in 2022 in Olympia, WA, where an individual barricaded himself in an evergreen tree because he did not want the trees to be cut down. He had built a tree stand nearly 300 feet off the ground and booby-trapped it. The stand was supported by a long pole attached to a vandalized vehicle on the ground. If the vehicle were moved, he would fall. Due to his height in the tree, fire or rescue operations were not an option. The second case took place in 2021 in Wishram, WA. The individual had been involved in a pursuit with local agencies and was actively shooting at them while fleeing. He eventually drove his vehicle down to the riverbank, where it became stuck, and he barricaded himself inside. During this incident, he had taped a firearm to his hand. WSP negotiators began communicating with him even as he was firing rounds. In both cases, WSP troopers' training to always keep their heads on a swivel proved critical to ensuring safety and maintaining situational awareness throughout the negotiations.