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SALT LAKE CITY — In the event of a personal crisis — a mental breakdown, a hostage situation or a threat of suicide — who's in charge of keeping the community and individual safe? That responsibility lies with crisis negotiators, the men and women whose personality and training allow them to talk a person down, both literally and figuratively.
It's a demanding and intense job for these officers. Wednesday, Unified Police were looking for Salt Lake County's most capable members to protect the community when life seems to take a turn.
Tryouts are made to be as realistic as possible, from grenades going off to being on a ledge five stories above ground.
"We are trying to test peoples' phobias — heights, jumping, enclosed spaces or darkness," said Unified Sgt. Don Campbell.
These negotiators-in-training are put through high-stress situations, while evaluators watch as they solve problems and keep their cool.
"We are also looking for the ability of someone to slow things and establish that rapport," Campbell said.
"One minute we're talking and the next thing, grenades go off," said Frank Yengich with the Salt Lake County sheriff's office. "I'm getting yelled at, and I thought I had just joined the military."
The crisis negotiator team is made up of about 12 officers, and only two or three will be selected from this round.
It's a lot of competition to see who UPD thinks has what it takes to handle the pressure, but the reason these 15 cadets are giving it their all is to make a difference.
"(I want to) try to help them see that there is hope and another solution to the situation," said cadet Carrie Fisher.
