Face to face with a double murderer: thoughts on how crisis negotiation skills can be applied in the practice of mediation.
For 18 years Spencer was a police crisis negotiator dealing with people in high-stress situations. Crisis negotiation involves situations where parties are driven by heightened emotions to the detriment of rational thinking.
Rather than aiming to separate people from their emotions, crisis negotiators place an emphasis on using skills that not only elicit the verbalisation of interests, but that manage and mould parties’ thinking in order to guide them towards collaborative problem-solving behaviour. He is going to offer his thoughts on how crisis negotiation skills can be applied in the practice of mediation.
Zoom Webinar
Date: Thursday 9th March
Time: 530pm
CPD: 1
Free for all AMINZ members.
About Spencer
After completing a Master of Arts degree and travelling the world for 5 years, Spencer chose to join NZ Police for the variety and challenges it offered.
In 1998 he was invited onto the Auckland Police Negotiation Team (PNT), eventually becoming the team leader. Along with attending many critical incidents, he has written for the North American Tactical Association magazine, gained the Australian police crisis negotiation university qualification and become a trained anti-terrorist negotiator. Service as an advisor in Bougainville deepened his desire to explore the world of alternative dispute resolution.
Most recently he ran the Auckland Airport police, helped set up a new internal Employment Resolution service and managed the police MIQ operation. Upon finishing his constabulary police role in March 2022, he was asked to return as an employment investigator in a non-constabulary role. Spencer now practices as a mediator, executive coach and general problem solver. His police experiences have resulted in the view that conflict is a natural part of life. He seeks to ensure that all involved have a positive experience and are able to move forward with certainty about the future.
Spencer Matthews
Mediator, executive coach and general problem solver.