A Matter of Trust: The Psychology Behind Hostage Negotiation

On the scene talking to a suspect, the hardest thing for a hostage negotiator to do is separate the crime itself—what that person has done or might do—and develop a relationship with the individual.

It’s one of many skills Woodbury Det. Chris Rheault has developed in his six years as part of the Washington County SWAT hostage-negotiation team.

Rheault late last month was honored with the Hostage Negotiator of the Year award from the Special Operations Training Association.

He earned the award for his work during the August 2012 hostage standoff at the Red Roof Inn in Woodbury, which he called the most “intense” of his experiences as part of the team.

And developing trust with someone who might harm him- or herself, other citizens or fellow officers comes naturally for Rheault, who has been with the Woodbury Police Department for 11 years.

“I am a people person,” he told Patch on Tuesday. “I like to put myself out there when I’m talking to somebody and create a relationship with them. And I do that when I’m on the street, too.”

Rheault, 43, said there was an opening with the Washington County hostage-negotiation team six years ago and it “piqued my interest.”

“I like talking with people,” he said. “It’s one of the things I love about being a police officer.”

At the outset, he went to a weeklong FBI session, and Rheault continues his training during four-hour programs every other month. Training includes everything from talking with people who have a mental illness, how to engage with suspects in custody or interacting with children.

A hostage negotiator must be able to connect with a suspect on a personal level during a dangerous situation, he said.

“I honestly care,” Rheault said. “And that helps me.”

While one man was shot and killed by police during the outset of the hostage standoff at the Red Roof Inn, the suspect and several others in the motel room were unharmed. (Police were cleared in the shooting.) The hostages were released and the suspect was arrested and has been charged with 27 felonies, including attempted murder and sexual assault.

The SWAT team was called in after the initial shooting, and was on the scene for four hours during the Aug. 31, 2012, incident.

For his part, Rheault said he was “doing my job.”

He also said that once the case is resolved, it will likely be used as an example in future training sessions for SWAT team negotiators.

At the March 25 Special Operations Training Association awards banquet in St. Cloud, Rheault said he knew the Washington County group was going to be named Negotiations Team of the Year.

Despite Rheault’s knack for talking to people, he didn’t know he was going to win the individual award until he saw his name in the program. His fellow officers managed to keep that from him.

“They guys at the table just started laughing,” Rheault said.

He called the award the “pinnacle” of his career.

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