Modern Crisis Negotiations
April 6 - 7, 2026
CHP Headquarters Building B, Training Room 1
601 N 7th St.
Sacramento, CA 95811
8am - 5pm
Hosted by the California Highway Patrol
CA POST Certified:
#1345-20771 - Plan N/A
$459.00
As a crisis negotiator, everybody is counting on you to know the right thing to say to prevent a tragic outcome. But many negotiators feel unprepared to be in the hot seat when the stakes are literally life and death. At the Savage Training Group, our instructors are active-duty negotiators who teach simple concepts that actually work. Our Modern Crisis Negotiations course gives negotiators the confidence they need to save lives.
Our instructors are team leaders on a busy urban team, so they know exactly what works and what doesn’t. They’ll share with you what techniques and equipment they used last week, not 20 years ago!
You’ll see recent body-cam video of actual incidents and work through table-top scenarios all while our expert instructors guide you.
Students Will Learn How To...
- Operate with confidence in chaotic and dangerous environments
- Integrate negotiation strategies with tactical operations and scene management
- Understand current use-of-force expectations and legal considerations
- Build elite communication skills to effect optimal outcomes
- Conduct real-time Behavioral Threat Assessments
- Use contemporary platforms for negotiations: phone, text, apps, video, and other equipment
- Understand the Engagement-Disengagement Continuum and how to better influence effective resolutions for subjects in crisis.
Your Instructors:
Senior Instructor Donald Anderson is a current Lieutenant with San Francisco PD, where he serves as the Officer in Charge of the 50-officer Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Team and on the Crisis Intervention Team, and has years of experience in patrol. He is a passionate and engaging instructor who is committed to sharing real-world experience with our students. More about Donnie
Senior Instructor James Tacchini is a Lieutenant with the San Francisco Police Department. He is a Team Leader on the department’s 50-officer Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Team. He has previously served as a full-time Officer Involved Shooting investigator and is presently a Patrol Sergeant. He is a current practitioner as well as a highly-experienced instructor. More about James
Sergeant Elizabeth “Lily” Prillinger is an active-duty sergeant with the San Francisco Police Department. She is assigned full time to the Crisis Intervention Team and is a Team Leader with the department's 50-officer Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Team. More about Lily
Payment Methods
Once you enter the student information below and click "Register", you will be taken to a checkout page where you can pay using a credit card, or you may request that an invoice be sent to your department that can be paid online or by check and sent by mail. Please note that invoices incur a $15.00 non-refundable processing fee.
This course is full, but occasionally spots open up due to cancellations or other reasons. To be added to the wait list please contact us. We also encourage you to check our Training Schedule to see if there are other courses coming up in your area that you might be able to attend.