The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has revealed the critical work of its Negotiation Operations Team, a unit of highly-trained specialists deployed both domestically and internationally to manage critical incidents involving Australian citizens. These operations range from hostage situations and kidnappings overseas to a spectrum of high-risk situations within Australia.
For the first time, details have emerged about the team’s involvement in over a hundred serious incidents across Australia in the past year alone. Their operational scope includes managing negotiated surrenders, suicide interventions, extortion, sieges, barricaded offenders, mental health crises, kidnappings, public order events, and cybersecurity threats.
The Negotiation Operations Team is renowned for its ability to deploy at a moment’s notice, providing essential assistance and protection to Australians both at home and in some of the world’s most perilous regions, including Afghanistan and Somalia. Their work extends to responding to high-profile international incidents as well as managing lower-profile situations globally over the past two years.
A significant highlight of their recent operations includes the intervention in the alleged kidnapping of an Australian pilot and two others in Papua New Guinea in February 2024. The team’s swift action led to the resolution of the crisis within five hours. This is in addition to their support in the successful rescue of an Australian resident and New Zealand citizen kidnapped in Papua New Guinea’s jungle in February 2023.
The presence of AFP negotiators has consistently proven to reduce police attendance times at incidents, minimize the need for force, and ensure the safety of both AFP personnel and the public. In the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), since February 2023, 98% of incidents requiring negotiator intervention were resolved without any escalation of force.
These specialists are tasked with managing some of the most high-stakes situations, often involving suicidal individuals, with data showing that such emergencies are generally resolved within 30 minutes. The team’s expertise is not only recognized within Australia but is also sought after internationally, with the AFP delivering training workshops to law enforcement agencies across Asia and the Pacific.
Sergeant Victor Yanes, a lead negotiator with the AFP, emphasized the team’s role in responding to crises and dangerous situations anywhere in the world.
“We turn up on someone’s worst day,” he stated, highlighting the negotiators’ vital role in managing communications with affected individuals and their families, ensuring safety, and, in many cases, saving lives.
AFP negotiators undergo rigorous and continuous training to refine their skills, ensuring they are prepared to address a wide range of emergencies with strategic and effective communication. The diversity within the team enhances its ability to devise innovative strategies and solutions for various critical incidents, underlining the AFP’s commitment to maintaining a world-leading negotiation capability.
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