HOSTAGE SITUATION

Prevention and mitigation of a hostage situation - The Morey Unit Hostage Situation

Abstract

The Morey unit hostage situation was an unfortunate event in which two inmates tried to make an escape and took the correctional officers hostage and seized the unit, initiating a standoff lasting 15 days. The serious hostage situation, which lasted 15 dreadful days, could have easily been avoided if better policies and steps were in place. Some of the factors that contributed to the occurrence of the event were the lack of effective standard operating procedures and monitoring. The correction officers were not aware of the happenings in the facility, nor were they properly trained in hand to hand combat to defend themselves or others. Improving training, communication and monitoring technology while adapting better and more effective SOPs can help reduce the probability of such an event from ever occurring again.

Introduction

The Morey unit hostage situation was an unfortunate event which started on the early morning of Sunday of January 2004. The Prison complex was 50miles away from phoenix and had a designed capacity of 800 inmates. Two inmates tried to make an escape and took the guards hostage and seized the unit, initiating a standoff lasting 15 days, one of the largest and longest of the nation. The worst thing is that it was possible for the authorities could avoid such an event with better planning and procedures.

Analysis of the Morey unit hostage situation

The serious hostage situation, which lasted 15 dreadful days, could have easily been avoided if better policies and steps were in place. There were a number of factors that over time, contributed to the event. Although an event which shocked the state, and injured a few people, it was fortunate that no one got seriously hurt or killed. Some of the factors that contributed to the occurrence of the event were the lack of effective standard operating procedures and monitoring. The correction officers were not aware of the happenings in the facility, nor were they properly trained in hand to hand combat to defend themselves or others.

The kitchen door was open, and presented an open opportunity for the offenders to enter and take charge. They were easily able to enter, and over power the officer who did not have proper training in effective and realistic hand to hand combat techniques, nor were they equipped with effective noon lethal equipment to take down the offender. The lack of having the ability to use a silent alarm to alert the relevant authorities, also played a vital part in the taking of the facility, as non of the officers were aware of what was going on. This lack of situational awareness resulted in the offenders having an edge over the officers and taking over so easily.

A response team could have contained the offenders before the event exploded into such a massive hostage situation, if the office in the kitchen was monitored. It was the lack of proper monitoring that allowed the offenders to do so much without the ...