Combative personnel reserve the sole right to decide a hostage situation’s validity. This section and its contents serves as a general guide to determining whether or not a hostage situation is valid.

In order for a hostage situation to be deemed valid, it must meet the below criteria:

• A person currently on a civil team is taken hostage within an area that does not have an active combative personnel presence;

• The hostage situation is not occurring within a department spawn zone or area; and

• A hostage situation has not taken place within 10 minutes of the previous situation.

  • • It is vital that the handler of the hostage situation take note of when the situation ended in order to keep track of this time limit.

    • In the event that a hostage situation is deemed invalid, it will not count towards the time limit.

In addition to this, Security Level 0 personnel can not be taken hostage.

When a member of Foundation personnel is taken hostage, they may not run away from or evade the hostage situation in any manner.

• The only time in which a member of Foundation personnel may elude or evade a hostage situation is if the hostage-taker has caused harm to the hostage.

Members of Foundation personnel may not put themselves in dangerous situations in order to prevent or cause a hostage situation.

• Intentionally putting yourself into danger is defined as running into or near an active hostage situation.

A hostage-taker must have a valid reason to kill hostages.

• If a hostage attacks a hostage-taker without self-defense, it won’t invalidate the hostage situation.

Once a negotiator has arrived, a hostage-taker may not move hostages into another room or area. Doing so should result in a verbal warning, further proceeding to an invalidation of the hostage situation.

Once a hostage situation is officially called, the hostage-taker may not take more hostages.

Once hostage negotiations begin, the negotiator must honor all of the hostage-takers’ demands.

• It is required that this regulation is directly followed when the hostage is a Security Level 4 or higher clearance member.

Once the demands of the hostage situation are met and carried out, the hostage-taker should be placed in solitary confinement for a total of eight (8) minutes.

If neither the hostage-taker or negotiator settle on demands within 10 minutes of the negotiator arriving, the final result will result in 8 minutes of free roam.

Demands such as free roam or SCPs cannot be carried out during active events such as riots, raids, or breaches and must be taken out after the conclusion of the event.

• In the event that the hostage situation takes place during an ongoing event, the area must be guarded by combative personnel until demands have been met.

• The negotiator must notify the hostage-takers’ usernames, the hostages, and other information via the communications radio in order to prevent interference or confusion from other personnel.

The negotiator, regardless of their combative department or division, must attempt to discuss negotiations with the hostage taker before taking extreme actions.

• Extreme matters are defined as rushing the hostage situation. Rushing should be the last attempt the negotiator should make in a hostage situation.

  • • If a hostage taker violates a hostage regulation, only the negotiator can initiate a rush or termination of the situation.

Based on the security level of the hostage(s), hostage-takers can negotiate multiple demands depending on the negotiator and hostage-taker.

• Both sides should keep in mind the clearance levels of their hostages and their reasonable demands.

  • • Demands rely on every hostage's security level.

    • Security Level 0 personnel can not be taken hostage.

Hostage situations are negotiated on a general system of value, with each security level being worth a specific amount of points. Points collectively add together and determine the possible rewards for a hostage.

Below is the guide for determining hostage values:

• Personnel holding a clearance of Security Level 1 are worth 10 points.

• Personnel holding a clearance of Security Level 2 are worth 20 points.

• Personnel holding a clearance of Security Level 3 are worth 30 points.

• Personnel holding a clearance of Security Level 4 are worth 40 points.

• Installation Directors are worth 60 points.

• O5 Councilors are worth 80 points.

Below is the redemption guide for hostage points:

• Free roam costs 1 point per 30 seconds, meaning that 10 minutes of free roam costs 20 points.

• Object SCPs that cause no harm or long-term effects cost 10 points.

• Object SCPs that may cause harm or have long-term effects cost 20 points.

  • • SCP-662 may be redeemed for 30 points.

      • • SCP-662 actor must be online.

• A car escort costs 40 points.

  • • The hostage-takers may be escorted by vehicle to wherever they please for 15 minutes.

      • • The hostage-takers should be followed in a different vehicle than what they are driving.

• "Hangout time" may be redeemed for any sentient SCP that is not dangerous for 60 points.

  • • Specific SCP must be online or requested for in the joint server.

Demands that pose a significant danger to other personnel or Class-D personnel are not allowed.

• Significant danger is defined as causing bodily harm to other personnel or posing a security risk.

The following is a list of combative personnel that are authorized to handle specific hostage situations, this should be followed at all times.

• Hostage situations involving personnel holding a clearance of Security Level 1, 2, or 3 may only be handled in the specified order: (1) Tactical Response Unit > (2) Lambda-9 > (3) Military Police Branch > (4) Rhea-3 > (5) Theta-14.

• Hostage situations involving personnel holding a clearance of Security Level 4 or 5 may only be handled in the specified order: (1) Rhea-3 > (2) Lambda-9 > (3) Tactical Response Unit > (4) Military Police Branch > (5) Theta-14.

The Tactical Response Unit holds higher priority of hostage situations that involve general personnel, allowing them to request assistance from Mobile Task Forces or Military Police in the event that the hostage-takers have a large advantage.

Mobile Task Force Rhea-3 holds highest priority over VIP personnel at all times and may request assistance from Lambda-9 or Theta-14 if necessary.