Greetings
MACNA members:
Welcome
to the new MACNA website. The Executive Committee finally
came to its collective sense and hired a web-hosting agency
to post and maintain our site. The company is Miracle Media
and with their assistance I think you will find the upcoming
changes to site exciting and more professional. Please continue
to check the site for updates on training and other information.
Based
on the feedback we have received, the May quarterly training
session was an overwhelming success. For those who were unable
to attend, you missed the largest and most involved practical
exercise that we have attempted. The scenario involved terrorist
sympathizers taking over a commuter aircraft with passengers
aboard. The negotiation elements for the exercise were made
up of personnel from different teams from around the Washington
Metro area, thereby exposing the individuals involved to different
operating procedures and negotiating styles. The teams, both
tactical and negotiations, were faced with a variety of obstacles
and considerations throughout the seven hour “ordeal",
including a wounded law enforcement officer, communications
problems, media issues, hostage release and management, team
transition and explosives. All of these (and some things that
were not mentioned) were handled relatively efficiently and
professionally by the participants. As I stated on the day
of training, the main purpose of the exercise was to "roll
out our stuff and do what we do". It was as simple, or
complex as that. We do not live in an area where we are getting
call outs once a week; therefore, every opportunity to train
the way we did in May should be taken advantage of.
The success of the exercise was due to the selflessness of
many people who volunteered their time and resources. I would
be remiss if I did not acknowledge the following for their
assistance in preparing and participating in the exercise:
o
The Staff of the Manassas Regional Airport
o Manassas City PD SWAT
o FBI
o StoryHouse Productions
o All of the "hostages" and "bad guys"
who sweated buckets while seated on the aircraft with no A/C.
We
look forward with great anticipation to our next scenario.
As
always, members are encouraged to offer suggestions in order
to make this association more useful and enjoyable to all.
The types of suggestions we are looking for include but are
not limited: ideas for a conference, newsletter, speakers,
web site content, future training topics, novelties, etc.
I
spoke of an idea three years ago of putting together a three-to-five
day school on mental health issues that impact the negotiations
process. Ideally, the course will be one wherein the participants
are provided with the best information available on negotiating
with persons suffering from thinking and emotional disorders,
alcohol and drug abuse, as well as stress. The idea is not
dead. It has just been “back burnered” for some
time. If there are any of you who have ideas regarding this
project or would like to assist with producing it let me know.
The
next training session is schedule for November 21. You can
find specifics as to the location and training topic at the
LENS page of Law Enforcement Online. We will also send out
emails and teletypes with the same information.
Thank you for your dedication to the discipline and your continued
support of MACNA.
Derek Gaunt
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