Hostage Situation

A hostage situation is any condition where people are held illegally and against their will; denied their right to move, act, speak freely, and make decisions on their own; a condition that endangers life or poses the threat of danger while holding a person(s) in a restricted state against their will.

If You Hear or See a Hostage Situation
Immediately remove yourself from any danger, and immediately notify Saint  Joseph's Campus Security at X7911 from an internal phone, 893-7911 from a mobile telephone, or by utilizing emergency call boxes located at the main entrance to every residence hall, baseball field parking lot, and the Alfond Center parking lot.

Be prepared to supply as much of the following information as possible, in a calm and clear manner, so that Campus Security can relay the information quickly to responding law enforcement; the location of the incident; the room number if known; the physical description of the hostage taker(s); any weapons used; your name, location and call back telephone number.

If You are Taken Hostage
Remain calm. Be polite and cooperate with your captors. Escape attempts should only be made if there is a good chance of success and survival. It may be safer to be submissive and obey the captors. Speak normally, without complaining and avoid being belligerent. Avoid political and/or ideological discussions with the captors. If in a group of hostages, don't draw attention to yourself with sudden body movements, statements, comments or hostile looks. Observed the captors well and try to memorize their physical traits, voice patterns or accents, clothing and other details that can help provide a description to authorities later.

In a Rescue Situation
Law enforcement response to a hostage situation will differ greatly from an active shooter response. In a hostage situation, the goal of law enforcement is the safe release of all hostages through negotiations with the captors. The process of negotiated release may take hours or days. A tactical response will only be undertaken when all options are exhausted, or there is immediate danger to the lives of the captives.  If law enforcement launches a rescue assault, do not run but drop to the floor and remain still. Make no sudden moves that could be interpreted a hostile or threatening. Wait for instructions and obey all instructions without delay. Particularly if there are many hostages, don't be upset, resist, or argue if rescuers do not at first identify you as a victim, but treat you as if you were a hostage taker. Even if you are handcuffed and searched, do not resist, rather, wait for the confusion to clear. You will be taken to a safe place, where proper identification and status will be determined.