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his face. “The subject was armed, but you engaged him face-to-face, without cover.”
    â€œThat’s correct. It’s also correct that a negotiator should avoid, if possible, any face-to-face with an armed subject. However, circumstances may call for it, and we’ll be covering that area of crisis situation in the role-playing sessions in the second half of this course.”
    â€œWhy—”
    â€œI’m getting to that. In my opinion, the incident on St. Patrick’s Day called for a face-to-face. In point of fact, most jumpers respond better to this method. The subject had no history of violent behavior, and had not fired the weapon. In a situation such as the one on St. Patrick’s Day, I, as negotiator, had to assess and weigh the advantages and disadvantages of going face-to-face. In my opinion, the advantages far outweighed the risks. As we’ve already covered the other considerations regarding face-to-face in a previous session—”
    â€œMa’am—Lieutenant,” Arnie corrected, with just enough hesitation to make sure she knew it was deliberate. “Is it also correct you provided the subject with alcohol?”
    I bet you have a really little dick, Phoebe thought, but nodded. “I provided the subject, at his request, with a beer. Providing alcohol to a subject during negotiations is not encouraged, but neither is it forbidden. This tack would be up to the negotiator, his or her sense of the situation and evaluation of the subject.”
    â€œGet him drunk enough, maybe he’d just fall off the roof.” Arnie’s comment got a few snickers. Phoebe inclined her head, let them die off.
    â€œNext time you’re on a ledge, Officer, I’ll remember you get drunk off one beer and bring you a nice Coca-Cola instead.”
    That got more than snickers, and noting the angry red wash over Arnie’s face, Phoebe cut through them. “As I’ve said, repeatedly, while there are guidelines for negotiations, the negotiator must be flexible, be able to evaluate, to think on his or her feet.”
    â€œBut you agree providing alcohol or drugs is risky?”
    â€œCertainly. My gauge in this case was it was low risk. The subject did not demand alcohol; he very politely asked if he might have a beer. Bringing him one gave him something he wanted, and allowed him some control, allowed him to exchange that beer for his word not to use his weapon on me, to allow me to come out and speak with him. Just you wait,” she ordered Arnie before he could open his smirking mouth again.
    Then she paused to make certain her tone would be calm and cool. “The preservation of life is and always will be the primary goal of negotiation. Everything, absolutely everything else, is secondary to that. Therefore, in this instance—as every single instance is different—I elected a face-to-face, elected to provide the subject with a single beer because I believed those choices would assist me in talking him down. As he’s alive, as there were no injuries, as the weapon he held was never discharged but given to me by him, I believe—in this instance—my choices were the correct ones.”
    â€œYou also used a third-party intermediary.”
    Now Phoebe smiled, sweet Southern sugar. “Officer Meeks, it appears you have several questions and problems with this particular incident and my handling of it. I wonder if you’d be more satisfied if the subject had just jumped.”
    â€œSeeing as he was only sitting up four stories, he’d only have a couple broken bones if he had. Unless he shot you and himself beforehand.”
    â€œThere’s an interesting train of thought. Disbelieving a subject is serious about suicide, or could indeed cause his own death.”
    Casually, she reached up to secure a stray wisp of hair that had escaped from its pins. And kept her voice just as casual. “I was acquainted with a negotiator