Law Enforcement Talk Tactics After Weekend Stand-Offs

On Friday, Riverside County sheriff’s deputies searched a home near Desert Hot Springs looking for Juan Carlos Perez Valenzuela. After a 10 hour standoff, the SWAT team went in but Valenzuela was gone.

Then on Sunday, a tip led Palm Springs police to a condo where suspected robber, Mger Balabekyan, 25, was holed up with his pregnant girlfriend. The three-hour stand-off ended with Balabekyan surrendering.

According to Palm Springs Police Department spokeswoman and former negotiator Rhonda Long, the decision to send SWAT teams is made by a watch commander.

“(It) may be based on if there’s hostages, is there cooperation, is it something that’s going to end peacefully with them surrendering without further incident,” she said. “So each case-by-case scenario is going to be different.”

SWAT teams first try to make contact with the suspect, either by phone or a loud speaker. According to former negotiator Bill Schneid, officers can only do so much for the suspects.

“Because if that’s what you’re negotiation is, you then ask whether or not he’s willing to … ‘what are you willing to trade for that?’ We just don’t want to keep supplying you with people unless your prepared to come out,” said Schneid.

Some stand-offs end safely.

Others go on for hours without making contact with the suspect. Officers then have to make a decision, keep talking or go inside.

Schneid said flash-bang grenades are normally used to get the suspects attention.

“Assuming nothing happens after that you then make an announcement you know they can hear… and you repeat it several times… that if you don’t come out in 5 minutes with your hands over your head we intend to gas this location,” said Schneid.

Long said whichever tactic is used, it’s not going to endanger officers.

“Safety is gonna be you first thought and you’re not gonna just send officers or SWAT team members into a situation where you’re not exactly sure what you have,” said Long.

According to Schneid, lengthy standoffs can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money, and valley law enforcement should think twice before sending in SWAT.

However, Long said money is not an issue when they’re trying to end a potentially dangerous situation peacefully.