Law enforcement officers may fall victim to a hostage-taking that results from a pre-planned attack or a crime in progress where a suspect is surprised. The hostage-taking may occur after an ambush or just by the officer being in the wrong place at the wrong time. No matter what the nature of the hostage taking, there are specific tactics that the hostage officer can use in order to help resolve the situation. Also covered in this course are ways in which an officer can stay out of a hostage situation while on duty.