• Home
  • True Crime
  • Thrillers
  • Mystery
  • Sci-Fi/Fantasy
  • Horror
  • Business
  • History
  • Reader Favorites
    • Award Winners
    • Bestsellers
    • Box Sets
    • Coming Soon
    • New Releases

WildBlue Press

Great Reads from Exceptional Authors

Great Reads from
Exceptional Authors

  • Subscribe
  • Interested Authors
  • Blog
    • In the Media
  • About Us
    • Catalog
    • Privacy Policy
  • Partners
    • ImaginePublicity
    • MacGregor Literary
    • The House Of Mystery with Al Warren
  • Contact Us

Dennis Flynn Gives An Inside Look Into the Work of Las Vegas’ Crisis Negotiations Team in HELD HOSTAGE

Get HELD HOSTAGE
  eBook
Amazon Kindle eBookBarnes & Noble Nook eBookKobo eBook
  Paperback
Amazon Trade Paperback
  Audio Book
Audible Audio BookiTunes Audio Book
Held Hostage Kindle Cover

HELD HOSTAGE is now available from WildBlue Press! Order your copy today!

What do officers say to a hostage taker to have their hostage released unharmed? What can a suicidal subject be told to prevent them from ending their own life?

Lieutenant Dennis Flynn spent nearly two decades responding to hostage situations, armed barricaded subjects, and suicidal individuals in Las Vegas. Many of these events occurred beneath the glitter of the Las Vegas strip!

His informative book provides a view behind the scenes of heart-stopping, life-threatening situations and includes:

  • Actual accounts of critical incidents in Las Vegas including hostage takers and armed suspects.
  • Mistakes made during the critical incidents.
  • Lessons learned and improvement suggestions to prepare for future events.

The City of Las Vegas has one of the highest incidents of police response to these armed encounters. Held Hostage: Negotiating Life and Death for the Las Vegas Police Department not only provides law enforcement with tips on how to effectively deal with these types of events but it also provides the public a rare view of how these incidents are handled as well as how to improve one’s own communication skills. Over 70 photographs are included which further illustrate the difficulties of responding to these dangerous events.

From The Book:

At 3:00 AM, Eric had been talking with Brian for an hour. Although Eric brought up key points that seemed to capture Brian’s attention, there were several times Brian would remind us that he was going to die that evening and he would make the police kill him. It seemed that each time Brian brought up his desire to be killed by police, he inched his way closer to the armored vehicle. Not only did Eric and I notice him getting closer but the SWAT officers remained acutely aware as well.

The cold weather had its effects on everyone. Not only were Eric and I cold but we could see the SWAT officers moving around outside of Brian’s view, trying to stay warm. The temperature appeared to be having an adverse effect on Brian as well. There were several times we could see his body trembling and it appeared it was the cold weather causing this, not his nerves. He was only wearing a leather coat over a short-sleeved t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans.

The Stratosphere

The Stratosphere Hotel in Las Vegas

At 3:19 AM, the cold weather really got to Brian. We could see him passing the pistol from one hand to the other, but always keeping it pointed to his head. He continued to move around in an attempt to stay warm.

Brian moved the gun away from his head to change which hands would hold the pistol. While changing hands and the gun briefly pointed upwards, it suddenly discharged. The gun going off startled Brian. It scared the hell out of me. As soon as it went off, Brian began apologizing, explaining that he did not mean to do it. Although apologetic, he put the gun right back to his head.

I believe it was Brian’s cold, trembling hands that cause the accidental discharge of the pistol. Others believed Brian intentionally fired a round, possibly as a test fire in the prelude of forcing a police intervention. Whatever the case, Brian fired a .40 caliber round into the air near an extremely busy intersection and freeway. He could not continue to fire rounds without the police taking action.

Eric really stepped up the pace. He continued to talk to Brian about the possibilities life still held for him. Brian replied that if we gave him a cellular phone and allowed him to make a call, he would put the gun down. This was a request we would consider, but who was he going to call and what was he going to say? It was our experience that many of suicidal people choose to call a loved one to say goodbye before committing the act.

From The Author:

Most people who apply to become a police officer explain they want to help people. Those wanting to become hostage/crisis negotiators have the same desire; the stakes are just much higher. Negotiators leave their friends and family, at a moment’s notice, to help a complete stranger. They share the highs experienced when saving a life and the gut-punches when events turn tragic. Being part of a peaceful resolution, helping our fellow man at their greatest moment of need, is one of the best experiences a person can be part of.

9 Dennis Flynn uniform 2 cropped

Dennis Flynn

Praise for Dennis Flynn:

“Dennis Flynn has written in “Held Hostage” a riveting true life account of his work as a police crisis negotiator in rough and tumble Las Vegas. From hostage takers to depressed suicidal individuals, the challenges he and his fellow negotiators faced were daunting, and usually came with life and death consequences. His candid descriptions of these critical incidents, including both successes and failures, and his acknowledgment of what went well and what didn’t, is refreshingly candid. This book takes the reader into a specialized world that few will ever experience; a world of immense pressure, critical decision making, and uncertain outcomes. This is a must read for anyone interested in crisis (hostage) negotiations.” – Gary W. Noesner, Chief, FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit, Author of “Stalling For Time: My Life as an FBI Hostage Negotiator.”

“From a negotiator with a heart as big as the city he served, Flynn tells compelling yet humble stories of Sin City’s most harrowing police standoffs. Told in crisp detail, Flynn provides an enlightening perspective of the police response to barricaded subjects, suicidal jumpers and cornered criminals. His refreshingly candid revelations of the lessons learned remind us all of the complex, emotional and sometimes heartbreaking nature of this business. The analyses alone are worth the price of the book and should be mandatory reading for every crisis negotiation and tactical team leader.” – Deb McMahon, owner, Crisis Systems Management, a crisis/hostage negotiation training and consulting company as well as author of ‘Into the Chaos: Crisis Negotiation Field Manual’

“‘Held Hostage’ is the real and raw stories of one of Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s most experienced Hostage/Crisis Negotiators. He pulls no punches with this gritty true life collection of stories that reveal not only the hard hitting life and death tales from his incredible career, but reveals the humanity of a seasoned cop. Read it and you will step into a world that few ever experience.” – Lieutenant Randy Sutton (Ret) Author of A Cops Life / True Blue and host of Blue Lives Radio, The Voice of American Law Enforcement

“In ‘Held Hostage’, author and retired cop, Dennis Flynn, provides gripping scenes full of life and death decisions from real police crisis negotiations in Las Vegas. Flynn takes you into the command post where you’ll see the human side of cops, the moment-by-moment decisions, and teamwork negotiators use. Flynn’s ability to objectively critique each operation he worked is a tribute to the pursuit of truth all cops share. ‘Held Hostage’ is cops trying to save lives on full tilt.” – Bradley Nickell, Las Vegas Police Officer and author of Repeat Offender

“Written in a conversational style, easy to read and hard to put down, this book tells the stories of real-life incidents while pointing out effective strategies as well as mistakes made. ‘Held Hostage’ is filled with valuable lessons learned written in the context of the actual events. Reading it is like watching several interesting and engaging incident debriefs at a negotiation conference, and having the presenter unabashedly share lessons learned. The take-aways are priceless.” – Troy King, President, Western States Hostage Negotiators’ Association (WSHNA), and Sergeant/Team Leader of Portland Police Bureau’s Crisis Negotiation Team

“It takes a special kind of person to be a hostage negotiator. Nerves of steel, unwavering commitment, and a big heart. Imagine sitting down with such a person and letting them tell you the inside story of their best and worst cases, what happened, how, and why. It’s riveting. From the first case to the last, Dennis Flynn puts you on the edge of your seat and keeps you there. Hold on tight.” – Peter Eichsteadt, award-winning author of BORDERLAND

Filed Under: Dennis Flynn, eBooks, HELD HOSTAGE, True Crime, True Crime Books Tagged With: best true crime books, Dennis Flynn, HELD HOSTAGE, hostage, Las Vegas, Las Vegas Crisis Negotiation Team, Murder, murder book, True Crime, true crime book, True Crime Original, true crime stories, true crimes, truecrime
August 4, 2017 By Dennis Flynn 3 Comments

Comments

  1. Michael Flynn says

    August 6, 2017 at 3:12 am

    Dennis is my older brother. As a kid, teenager and adult I watched as my childhood hero became the best police officer I ever knew. I remember when he first became a hostage negotiator. It was something he was made for. I witnessed many nights when his pager would go off and he’d be out the door. Later he would return, exhausted, and go lay down only to have his pager go off again. Dennis never complained. I say this with no prejudice, Dennis Flynn is not only my big brother but also the best damn police officer I know…and honestly, the best guy I’ve ever met.

    Reply
  2. Sharron Barreau says

    September 24, 2017 at 10:09 pm

    Thank you for sharing your personal insight into some critical decisions made

    by a dedicated specialty team of individuals! Particularly interesting was the

    evaluation offered after each crisis event , each unique to the situation! This was

    exciting to read, well done Lieutenant Flynn!,

    Reply
  3. GTerry says

    June 15, 2022 at 11:21 am

    I worked with Dennis when I was at LVMPD for over 20 years as a dispatcher/communication supervisor and he always kept his cool on the radio. Dispatchers and Officers tend to have a lot of adrenaline ups and downs .

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

HELD HOSTAGE by Dennis Flynn

Order HELD HOSTAGE today:

Star Rating

Amazon Kindle eBookBarnes & Noble Nook eBookKobo eBook  eBook
Amazon Trade Paperback  Paperback
Audible Audio BookiTunes Audio Book  Audio Book

INTERNATIONAL KINDLE EBOOKS
USA  UK  Canada  Australia  Germany  France  Spain  Japan  Italy  Brazil  India  Mexico

GET A FREE AUDIBLE AUDIO BOOK

Get this Title for FREE at Audible with a free trial Get this Audible Title for FREE with a 30-day free trial

LISTEN TO THE FIRST CHAPTER

More True Crime from WildBlue Press

THE TUSKEGEE STRANGLER Linda Lou Long Kindle Cover

THE TUSKEGEE STRANGLER: The “Nicest” Serial Killer They Ever Met

Jerry Marcus fooled them all. He was “a nice guy,” always helped at home, did well in school, an athlete, and always employed. When things went wrong, he was the first to help clean up the mess. He was the last person anyone suspected of being a … [Read More...]

THE DECISION TO KILL Leslie Ghiglieri

THE DECISION TO KILL

A 1986 family tragedy propels this gripping true crime debut as a mother searches for answers in the shocking murder of her husband—and conviction of her son. For years, Cherie struggles to overcome the consuming grief she suffers from the loss of … [Read More...]

ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER William Craig

ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER

It was a dreary winter afternoon in Ayer, Massachusetts, a quintessential New England town, the type which is romanticized in Robert Frost's poems. But on January 30, 1979, a woman’s scream was heard piercing the northeast tempest wind. In an … [Read More...]

TED BUNDY The Yearly Journal Volume One

TED BUNDY The Yearly Journal Volume One

Due to Sullivan’s extensive writing about Ted Bundy (which has produced six books), he’s become a sort of magnet over the years, drawing out many people who were part of the Bundy story, but have otherwise kept a low profile over the decades; and … [Read More...]

THE LAST JEWISH GANGSTER Volume One The Early Years David Larson Kindle Cover

THE LAST JEWISH GANGSTER

Volume One The Early Years In 1944 Brooklyn, newborn Michael J. Hardy is rejected by his mother so she can run with gangster Bugsy Siegel, Hardy’s godfather. Shirley Rook rose to the top of the criminal ranks. As the Queen of New York City … [Read More...]

CARMINE AND THE 13th AVENUE BOYS Craig McGuire

CARMINE AND THE 13th AVENUE BOYS

This is the true story of Carmine Imbriale – a gambler, a brawler, a bandit, a bookie, an enforcer. For two decades, Imbriale was a street-level operative in one of the most violent crews in the Colombo Family, and he endeared himself to some of the … [Read More...]

VAMPIRES, GATORS, AND WACKOS Frank Stanfield

VAMPIRES, GATORS, AND WACKOS: True Crime Stories From A Florida Newspaperman

Teens savagely murder a couple in the name of their vampire cult. A sex-starved teacher cannot get enough of her young male student. The case of a missing child keeps cops awake at night for years after his confounding … [Read More...]

THE CURSE OF THE TURTLE Suzanne Buchanan

Suzanne Buchanan Exposes The Sinister Truth Behind “The Backpacker Murders” and Thailand’s Mafia In New True Crime THE CURSE OF THE TURTLE

Koh Tao--a small island in the Gulf of Thailand, surrounded by pristine beaches, swathed in sunshine, and a mecca for tourists, divers and backpackers. But "Turtle Island" has its dark side. In 2014, Koh Tao was the site of the brutal double murders … [Read More...]

DEADLY ASSOCIATES Kindle Cover

DEADLY ASSOCIATES: A True Story Of Murder, Survival, and Bringing Down the Chicago Mob

Coming January 29th to REELZChannel™! The DEADLY ASSOCIATES documentary! Step into Chicago during the 1960s and ‘70s, where mobsters influence everyone from strip-club owners to Teamsters, aldermen, judges, and local police. It is a world where … [Read More...]

Jane Doe #9 Kindle Cover With Quote

R. Kelly Victim Tells Her Story In JANE DOE #9

"Lizzette Martinez’s story embodies the fire energy that gives light and life to survivors all around her! Survivors need to see strength and perseverance despite opposition, and Lizzette models just that." - Melissa Schuman, actress and singer In … [Read More...]

Genres, Types

New Releases
Featured Books
Coming Soon
Award Winners

Business
History
Horror
Mysteries
Romance
Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Thrillers
True Crime

eBooks
Paperbacks
Audio Books
Box Sets

Available

True Crime
• The Decision To Kill
• All Along The Watchtower
• Ted Bundy
• The Last Jewish Gangster
• Carmine And The 13Th Avenue Boys
• Vampires, Gators, And Wackos
• The Curse Of The Turtle
• Deadly Associates
• Jane Doe 9
• Watch Me Die
• Mystery At The Blue Sea Cottage
• The Wheels Of Justice
• 16 Minutes
• Terror Town, Usa
• Raging On
• Grilling Dahmer
• The 'Peyton Place' Murder
• Cold Blooded
• Faith Based Fraud
• The Real Mr. Big
• The Son Of Seven Mothers
• 'The Son Of Sam' And Me
• Serial Killers
• Satin Pumps
• Out Of The Mouths Of Serial Killers
• True Crime Chronicles Volume Two
• The World Encyclopedia Of Serial Killers Volume Three
• The Enigma Of Ted Bundy
• True Crime Chronicles Volume One
• Killing Women
• From The Mob To The Movies
• The World Encyclopedia Of Serial Killers Volume Two
• To Kill Or Be Killed
• No Angels
• Monster
• Under A Full Moon
• 'Til Death Do Us ...'
• The World Encyclopedia Of Serial Killers
• First Degree Rage
• The 'Supreme Gentleman' Killer
• Beast Of New Castle
• The Garden State Parkway Murders
• How Now, Butterfly?
• The Encyclopedia Of The Ted Bundy Murders
• Survival
• Missing ... And Presumed Dead
• Wrong Numbers
• Tantamount
• Playing Dead
• Mothers And Murderers
• Dead Reckoning
• Underworld
• Gabacho
• The Gangster's Cousin
• Race To Justice
• Ted Bundy's Murderous Mysteries
• Travesty Of Justice
• Railroaded
• You Have A Very Soft Voice, Susan
• A Family Business
• Pathological
• Wrecking Crew
• The Last Man Standing
• My Son, The Killer
• Inconvenience Gone
• Toxic Rage
• The Killing Game
• Shots In The Dark
• The Case Of The Golden State Killer
• His Garden
• The Crate
• Burned
• The Case Of The Zodiac Killer
• A Murder In My Hometown
• Bullied To Death
• The Beast I Loved
• Summary Execution
• The Shawcross Letters
• Better Off Dead
• Sidetracked
• My Brother's Keeper
• Targeted
• Held Hostage
• Room 1203
• A Special Kind Of Evil
• Brooklyn's Most Wanted
• Outlaw Los Angeles
• Unsolved No More
• She Is Evil
• The Rise And Fall Of A Casino Mobster
• Outlaw Southwest
• A Clockwork Murder
• Raw Deal
• The Bundy Secrets
• Betrayal In Blue
• The Politics Of Murder
• Murderers Row
• Rough Trade
• Daddy's Little Secret
• Murder In The Family
• Failure Of Justice
• Ice And Bone
• Smooth Talker
• The Trail Of Ted Bundy
• A Taste For Murder
• Sketchcop
• Body Of Proof
• Kentucky Bloodbath
• No Stone Unturned
• Repeat Offender
• Dixie's Last Stand
• Vampire
• Man Overboard
• Bogeyman
• Murderers Row Volume Two
Thriller
• Blood Red Ivory
• No One Will Hear Your Screams
• The Screaming Room
• Bone Thief
• Crux
• Sword Of The Caliphate
• Last Son Of The War God
• Leviathan
• The Strait
• Enemy Of The People
• Cain
• Dark Visions
• Hunter
• The Reckoning
• Hard Dog To Kill
• 16 Souls
• Borderland
• Paper Wings
• Lockout
• Pitfall
Mystery
• The Humanzee Experiments
• The Killing Machine
• Murder At Mardi Gras
• The Right Thing
• Raven's Ridge
• Raptor's Ridge
• Napa Noir
• Melia Ridge
• Emerald Ridge
• Created
• Crevice
• Headlock
• Identity Crisis
• The Obituary
• Naked Addiction
• The Deadline
Horror
• Four
• Acadia Event
• The Red Son
• Highwayman
• The Equinox
• The Pure And The Hated
• Savage Highway
Sci-Fi/Fantasy
• Tribulations
• Happenstance
• Destruction Of Justice
• Blunt Force Magic
Business
• Leaderology
• The Age Of Pluralism
• Bamboo Strong
• Corporate Superpower
• Wordpress Websites For Business
• Productivity Tools For Business
Cookbook
• Frank Cullotta's Greatest (Kitchen) Hits
History
• Legion Rising
• The Korean Crisis
• Tempest Tost
• Saving Sandoval
• Killing Rasputin
Politics
• The (Redacted) Mueller Report
Romance
• When Fall Fades

New Releases

THE DECISION TO KILL Leslie Ghiglieri

THE DECISION TO KILL

A 1986 family tragedy propels this gripping true crime debut as a mother searches for answers in the shocking murder of her husband—and conviction of her son. For years, Cherie struggles to overcome the consuming grief she suffers from the loss of … [More...]

ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER William Craig

ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER

It was a dreary winter afternoon in Ayer, Massachusetts, a quintessential New England town, the type which is romanticized in Robert Frost's poems. But on January 30, 1979, a woman’s scream was heard piercing the northeast tempest wind. In an … [More...]

TED BUNDY The Yearly Journal Volume One

TED BUNDY The Yearly Journal Volume One

Due to Sullivan’s extensive writing about Ted Bundy (which has produced six books), he’s become a sort of magnet over the years, drawing out many people who were part of the Bundy story, but have otherwise kept a low profile over the decades; and … [More...]

THE LAST JEWISH GANGSTER Volume One The Early Years David Larson Kindle Cover

THE LAST JEWISH GANGSTER

Volume One The Early Years In 1944 Brooklyn, newborn Michael J. Hardy is rejected by his mother so she can run with gangster Bugsy Siegel, Hardy’s godfather. Shirley Rook rose to the top of the criminal ranks. As the Queen of New York City … [More...]

Coming Soon

THE TUSKEGEE STRANGLER Linda Lou Long Kindle Cover

THE TUSKEGEE STRANGLER: The “Nicest” Serial Killer They Ever Met

Jerry Marcus fooled them all. He was “a nice guy,” always helped at home, did well in school, an athlete, and always employed. When things went wrong, he was the first to help clean up the mess. He was the last person anyone suspected of being a … [More...]

Recent Posts

  • THE TUSKEGEE STRANGLER: The “Nicest” Serial Killer They Ever Met
  • THE DECISION TO KILL
  • ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER
  • TED BUNDY The Yearly Journal Volume One
  • THE LAST JEWISH GANGSTER
  • CARMINE AND THE 13th AVENUE BOYS
  • Massive True Crime Sale. Today Only!

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

eZine SignupJoin our email list and be the first to get hot deals, new releases and...
* Author updates
* Free eBooks
* Free audio books
* Enlightening and entertaining posts
* Advance notice of book deals, special offers

Follow Us

Blog Tag Cloud

best true crime books Bogeyman Bradley Nickell Brian Whitney Burl Barer Caitlin Rother Cold Case Crime Fiction Crime thriller Detective Detectives Facebook True Crime John Ferak Kevin Sullivan Las Vegas memoir Murder murder book murder mystery Mysteries Mystery mystery thriller Non-Fiction Ron Franscell Serial Killer serial killer books Serial Killers Steve Jackson Suspense suspense thriller Ted Bundy Thriller Thriller Books Thrillers True-crime truecrime True Crime True Crime Authors true crime book true crime books True Crime Original true crimes true crime stories True Murder WildBlue Press

Privacy Policy

As Seen On:

Our Authors Have Been Seen On...

Interested Authors Click Here
See Our Entire Catalog
SSL Secure Connection

Copyright © 2022 WildBlue Press. All rights reserved.
Website design by Denver Local SEO Marketing Company
Dennis Flynn Gives An Inside Look Into the Work of Las Vegas’ Crisis Negotiations Team in HELD HOSTAGE