Crisis Negotiation Unit

The Lexington Police Department Crisis Negotiation Unit was founded in 1978, when the department formally established its first Hostage Negotiation Team in response to the growing need for specialized crisis response capabilities. Early development of the unit was closely tied to national best practices, with personnel attending the FBI Academy Hostage Negotiation Course that same year.

 

Among the department’s earliest trained negotiators was Jerry Wright, who became the first officer from Lexington to receive formal FBI hostage negotiation training in 1978. He played a foundational role in shaping the unit’s early operations and served in a leadership capacity from 1978 through 1986. During this period, the team expanded its capabilities and personnel, working alongside what was then known as the Emergency Duty Team—the predecessor to today’s Emergency Response Unit.

 

From its inception, the unit was tasked with managing high-risk incidents involving hostages, barricaded subjects, and individuals in crisis. Since its founding, the Crisis Negotiation Unit has remained a critical component of the department’s response to significant incidents. Built on the foundation established in 1978, the unit continues to evolve, maintaining a commitment to communication-based resolution strategies, specialized training, and the preservation of life in the most challenging circumstances.