In any crisis, the prime objective is the protection of lives and safety of all involved. The Colonial Heights Police Department has assumed the philosophy of making every effort to negotiate crisis situations, prior to the use of aggressive methods.

The Colonial Heights Police Department has several officers who are trained as hostage negotiators. These officers are able to utilize their natural skills, training and experience to verbally communicate with and convince a hostage taker or barricaded subject to release hostages unharmed, and surrender themselves peacefully.