“In the old days,” – which for some, aren’t gone yet – connecting a throw or crash phone for use was a headache. The components all had to be transported to a given site and connected. Every cable had to be unspooled, laid out, tested, etc. If you made a mistake, you started from scratch, checking each connection to find what you did wrong. The capabilities had to include:
Another capability that many negotiators would understand is the ability to hand the call off from one negotiator to another. With the throw/crash phone set up, that meant having to have two negotiators on scene at all times in the command post. But what if technology was developed that allowed for the use of cell phones instead of hardwired/connected phones and provided all of the prerequisites listed above plus some more? Well, such technology has been developed and is in use: Enter LETS Respond.
This new reality in crisis negotiation tools gives agencies a time efficient tool. It puts all of the equipment necessary for throw phones, recording both audio and video, managing the data and more all in your pocket. It gives each authorized officer the ability to open recorded negotiations under supervision from a certified negotiator and it allows that negotiator the ability to take over the call whenever he’s ready or feels it’s necessary.
Crisis negotiations have moved far beyond simply talking on a handset. Having the subject and the crisis negotiator actually see each other while they talk is a reality. Negotiators can see body language, facial clues, emotional responses and more. Negotiators have to be trained in how to interpret the visual clues they see and incorporate that as data into the decision making / guidance process.
LETS Respond is an app that can be installed on any smartphone. With it installed, you simply open the app on your phone like you would any other. Every negotiator knows that time is of the essence and the time spent setting up communications can easily neutralize the value of communications once they’re opened. Being able to connect faster and easier is of high value.
When you consider how many pieces of technology our smart phone has replaced, this leveraging of technology should come as no surprise. Anytime we’re dealing with evidence collection, storage and management challenges, we are often suspicious of “the new thing.” LETS© solutions aren’t really that new. The company has been developing and delivering them since 2006 and they are in use by plenty of agencies across the country already. To not take advantage of such potential life-saving technology is to willfully stay attached to antique times.
Now, just to be sure we understand, LETS Respond is one tool used by negotiators for the calls. The second tool is LETS Transmitter; a modern day throw phone in a cell phone package. It can be used for direct communications but it can also be used as a video monitoring device to gather data and intel. LETS Transmitter prevents the suspect from making unauthorized calls or accessing apps/the Internet on the device. Combined, the apps offer some services never before available but now fully integrated thanks to the technology.
LETS Respond allows for the first responder to make contact with the subject. The first responder does have to be an authorized user, but any officer can be authorized at the agency’s discretion. LETS Respond allows that first authorized officer to make contact and begin recording the call immediately upon connection. The negotiator can listen in on the call while en route. If necessary, the negotiator can take over the call.
While all that is going on, the tactical team, using cell phones, can listen in on the negotiator call without interrupting their ability to talk to each other as they coordinate response plans and tactics. The Team Leader can talk to the negotiator and record messages from third parties that the negotiator can play to the suspect on demand. Of course, such use has to be coordinated properly and performed in compliance with the agency’s negotiating protocols which is why LETS© has built in sophisticated access controls to all features of the system.
All communications with the suspect are recorded and saved in the LETS© Storage Cloud for evidentiary purposes. No evidence is ever stored on your devices which protects you from subpoenas and chain-of-custody issues. The LETS Dashboard, accessible from any secured Internet browser, controls who can access the evidence.
In today’s world, and amidst the constant cries for ‘reform,’ doesn’t it make sense to leverage technology as it supports new tools that allow us to do our jobs better? Most especially when the job involves something as inherently risky as high risk negotiations, the risk mitigation value alone makes the LETS© products well worth it!
