# @vcsheriff on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/CZkop3-BeaZ
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/13414626-vcsheriff-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/thumbnails/786f4eab55.jpg
- **Posted:** 2022-02-04T22:38:13.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Ventura County Sheriff (@vcsheriff) — https://gondola.cc/vcsheriff

## Caption

“I’ve been with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office for about 15 years now. I started off as a cadet working in the Crime Lab. From there I became a provisional deputy, then went to the Academy, and have been working for VCSO since. I like the thrill of helping people. My family works in public safety, so I think this path was a natural choice.” 

Meet Sr. Deputy Jamal Clark 👋🏼 – a detective in our Major Crimes Unit and a negotiator with our Tactical Negotiations Unit. 

“I’ve always had a knack for talking to people – just having regular conversations with people. Growing up, you always see shows with a hostage negotiator on TV. But the position I am in now is more than that - it’s really about connecting with people and trying to de-escalate and mitigate any crisis that the person may be having at that time. I am a firm believer that anyone and everyone, regardless of who you are, we all go through some type of crisis in our lives. Having someone who may not necessarily sympathize with you but can empathize with you in a way where you feel like it will pause your thoughts and the crisis that is going through your head – I think that is what drew me to working as a negotiator.
 
At the end of the day, it’s all about talking to people. Whether you’re a custody deputy or a homicide detective, one of the most difficult things for people to do is connect. I think the easiest way to do that is verbally. Communicating with people and creating a strong bond while actively listening can mitigate so much. I believe working as a hostage negotiator and being on a tactical negotiation unit has helped me significantly with being successful in my career.”

#VCSheriff #YourVCSO #negotiator #community #communication

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 1,619
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 35

## Tags

communication, negotiator, yourvcso, vcsheriff, community

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