Former FBI hostage negotiater speaks at Jepson Hall

A former chief hostage negotiator for the FBI gave a lecture entitled 'Calm Creative Communications in Crisis' Thursday afternoon in Jepson Hall.

Gary Noesner, a 30-year veteran of the bureau, was present at such crises as the 1971 Attica Prison riot and the hijacking of TWA flight 847. He said thIne highlight of his career was acting as the FBI's chief negotiator during the 1993 Waco siege of the Branch Davidian compound, a controversial action that saw 84 fatalities.

Before he was removed from that scene, he oversaw the exit of 35 people -- the only ones to leave before the compound was raided, he said.

In addition to that, he has participated in ending 122 kidnappings, as well as dealt with numerous terrorist incidents in the Middle East.

But the main topic of his lecture was not the many criminals and terrorists he has talked down, but rather what skills made this possible and how to apply them to everyday life.

"You are always in one of two modes," Noesner said, "either cooperation or confrontation."

He jokingly likened hostage negotiating to getting a date. "Listening is the approach -- it's the clearest concession," he ssaid.

Noesner repeatedly said that active listening was the best way to understand someone. But he also said that law enforcement needed to use a "blend of tactics, a blend of options," when dealing with people who have the means and desire to harm others.

Noesner said the most important aspect of hostage negotiating was the "need to earn the right to influence others." Noesner said that unless the negotiating team had established itself, it could lead to a violent outcome.

And responding to a question from the audience, he condemned torture. "It doesn't work," he said, before adding that "no reliable information was ever gained" from it.

Reaction to the lecture was generally positive. Junior Elizabeth Applin said it was "interesting, especially because I'm considering a career in law enforcement."

Junior Andrea Stevens agreed, saying the material Noesner presented was "fascinating, and applicable in everyday life."

Nosener is the author of 'Stalling for Time: My Life as an FBI Hostage Negotiator,' and his lecture was sponsored by the university's John Marshall International Center for the Study of Statesmanship.

Contact reporter Milos Jovanovic at milos.jovanovic@richmond.edu>