OICS review of a hostage taking incident at the AMC on 27 March 2021 released

The review found that the situation was appropriately managed by ACT Corrective Services, and thanks to effective rapport and communication skills, Corrections Officers were able to negotiate the release of the detainee who had been taken hostage by another detainee.

The ACT Inspector of Correctional Services, Neil McAllister, presented the review for tabling in the ACT Legislative Assembly today. The review makes seven recommendations.

Mr McAllister said, “ACTCS does not have trained hostage negotiators, which is not surprising given that hostage incidents are not a common occurrence in Australian prisons. The 27 March 2021 incident was the first hostage incident at the AMC since it commenced operation in 2009.”

“The senior CO who communicated to the detainee during the incident did an excellent job, partly at least because he knew the detainee well and was able to establish a rapport with him quite quickly."

The review has raised concerns about the approval of the use of chemical agents in this incident. While it did not become necessary, a CO trained in the use of OC spray (pepper spray) was on standby to deploy it in the event the situation required immediate intervention. It is a matter of concern to OICS that currently, ACTCS does not have a notified policy or procedure specific to the use of chemical agents.

The review also identified a number of issues relating to existing policies and procedures for the management of a hostage situation, including lack of clear direction about when a victim’s family must be notified, and the role of health services in administering essential medications during such an incident.

Read the full report here.