Episode 51

Dallas SWAT Hostage Negotiator JD Byas

***Warning graphic content discussed involving suicide ***

The Assist the Officer Foundation gets many requests from across the country on guests and topics and one common topic we keep getting is to have on a hostage negotiator. The Dallas PD SWAT Unit has several members trained in hostage negotiations however they have on a very “seasoned” veteran in James “JD” Byas.

He Hired on with the Dallas Police Department in 1985 and spent five years working the streets in the North West Division and then was recruited to join the Mounted Unit. In 1993 JD found himself in the middle of downtown Dallas battling the mob during the Dallas Cowboys championship parade and helped clear the path, with his equine partner, to provide safety to the citizens and prevent the city from burning.

Shortly after this parade JD, again, was recruited to the Dallas SWAT unit and began mastering patience and precision as the role of a sniper, specializing in glass ballistics.

He became a hostage/crisis negotiator in 2000 and has completed over 700 hours of training with the Suicide/Crisis Center. His nearly 30 years of SWAT experience covers over 475 barricaded persons and suicide call outs, and several hundred high risk warrant operations. He travels the country instructing Police Departments in hostage negotiation while still remaining active with SWAT. JD was also featured in the A&E show Dallas SWAT.

ATO fans you asked for a hostage negotiator and we provided the best Dallas has to offer in this field…. so sit back and soak in the very cerebral topic of hostage negotiation with JD Byas.

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Critical incidents:

Dallas Cowboys championship parade riot in February 1993.