St. Lucie Gets Bargain Mobile Command Center

By Mark Weinberg
Public Information Officer
St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office

When the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office reorganized its Crisis Negotiation Team, it became obvious they needed a custom-designed rolling command center. But in these days of tightened budgets, it also became obvious that the team's vehicle would have to be a low-budget production.

The solution, according to St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken J. Mascara, was a donated ambulance from the county Fire District and a remodeling job using jail inmate labor.

Sheriff Mascara reasoned that the work crew was already helping save thousands of taxpayer dollars annually by picking up litter at public facilities and maintaining environmentally sensitive lands - so why not add this project to their task list?

"The Crisis Negotiation Team truck was a real money saver," he said.

The Fire District donated the ambulance to the Sheriff's Office because the district now uses rescue vehicles larger than their older ambulances. All it needed was some conversion and technology.

The Crisis Negotiation Team needed it to serve as a self-contained "situation room," complete with video monitors, other electronic equipment, conference tables and dry-erase boards to keep track of negotiation details.

Jail inmates got to work. They rebuilt the floor, insulated and carpeted the walls and ceiling, enclosed what used to be the ambulance's rear door and installed wiring and a generator as well as custom doors and other items. They also built an air-conditioning intake grill from an old speed limit sign.

The total cost was under $10,000, including a new paint job. A similarly equipped crisis negotiation center mobile unit would cost in the area of $100,000 if purchased new and fully equipped.

"We got everything we asked for at a great price," said Sgt. Adam Goodner, the team's commander. "Now, we can get to the scene, sit down and go to work."

Communication central
When the Crisis Negotiation Team is called out, six members of the team respond, including team commander Goodner. From the team's mobile unit, team members can monitor the scene of the negotiations, stay in touch with the Sheriff's command staff and remain in constant contact with the agency's SWAT team.

"Our mobile unit is just the right size for us to do what we need to do," Sgt. Goodner said.

The Crisis Negotiation Team recently completed a nine-hour training scenario at the south St. Lucie County courthouse annex in the city of Port St. Lucie. The scenario was designed by two experts who have trained the team: George Flannigan, Ph.D., of LED Incorporated and Bob Beach, Chief of Police of Longwood University in Virginia. Chief Beach was formerly a Major in charge of crisis negotiations with the Fairfax County, Va., Police Department.

The scenario included the Crisis Negotiation Team, SWAT Team and Bomb Disposal Team. It was followed the next day by a four-hour debriefing so deputies could learn as much as possible from the training scenario.

"The more we train together, the more we learn about effectively managing crisis situations," Sgt. Goodner said. "Our mobile unit is going to improve our effectiveness and help keep the public safe in crisis situations."

Contact writer Mark Weinberg, St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office, via e-mail: weinbergm@stluciesheriff.com, or phone, 772-201-0264.