{"id":10367,"date":"2025-05-16T09:54:27","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T14:54:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/?p=10367"},"modified":"2025-05-20T09:55:21","modified_gmt":"2025-05-20T14:55:21","slug":"2025-blue-kc-answering-the-call-honoree-ben-lindsay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/community-and-culture\/sports-partnerships-community-and-culture\/2025-blue-kc-answering-the-call-honoree-ben-lindsay\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 Blue KC Answering the Call Honoree Ben Lindsay"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Supervisor of the Kansas City Missouri Police Department crisis negotiation team featured in the month of May<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sergeant Ben Lindsay pulled up on a situation with a man\u2019s life literally on the line. Thanks to being calm under pressure, Lindsay was able to resolve the situation and nobody got hurt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The man had been on foot off the side of Interstate 49, waving a gun at drivers. When officers approached him, the man dropped the gun but ran away with a knife to his throat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lindsay, the supervisor of the Kansas City Missouri police department crisis negotiation team, arrived at the scene not knowing what had transpired before he got there. He just knew that a man was in a desperate situation and needed help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lindsay talked with the man for about 90 minutes, eventually convincing him to drop the knife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe guy was pretty much cornered,\u201d Lindsay said recently of the incident in early April. He didn\u2019t want to give up to police officers. What had happened before that was kind of irrelevant. We were just trying to build rapport with the guy, for him to trust us and know that we weren\u2019t going to hurt him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was trying to let him know that it was going to be okay, and that we could all go home from this and nothing bad had to happen. I convinced him that, even in his darkest day\u2014and he seemed to be in that day right then\u2014light will always shine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe were able to get him help in a very peaceful manner.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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KANSAS CITY, MO – May 16: Photo from a game between the Kansas City Royals and the St. Louis Cardinals Friday, May 16 2025, in Kansas City, MO (Photo by Amy Kontras\/ Kansas City Royals)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

That approach\u2014to that situation and to his job in general\u2014is why Lindsay is the May recipient of the \u201cBlue KC Answering the Call\u201d award, sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City and benefitting The Battle Within. The Battle Within is an organization that helps former military personnel and first responders cope with the sometimes-hidden trauma of their careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lindsay considers himself fortunate that he hasn\u2019t felt the need to lean on The Battle Within for his own struggles, but he\u2019s very appreciative of what TBW can and will do for his colleagues on the force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about understanding that everybody fights their own battles, and everybody has their own demons,\u201d Lindsay said. \u201cIf somebody like The Battle Within can have empathy for people, no matter what the situation is, they can be helped and healed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lindsay has been on the job since January 2007, and he\u2019s been part of the crisis negotiation team for the last five years. The crisis negotiation team is not simply looking for volunteers. There\u2019s extensive training required, besides the passion for helping people even beyond that of a regular first responder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a 40-hour course that the FBI or another negotiator company puts on,\u201d Lindsay said. \u201cBut then there\u2019s lots more training on top of that. We all have to go through that. We have conferences and competitions that help us hone our skill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a skill that if you don\u2019t keep using it, you\u2019ll lose it. There is definitely a skill to be able to talk to somebody in crisis and have them listen to you and know that you have empathy and the wherewithal to see it through.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lindsay said the training worked perfectly in the situation in April.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe had to convince him that days will get better,\u201d he said. \u201cYou can have a series of bad days, but eventually things will get better. Eventually, I think he understood that I was there, and not just me, but the other negotiators, were there to get him help.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not a calling for everyone, but Lindsay is proud to \u201canswer the call.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou have to have that empathy for people, and look at it like, this person needs help, and I can help him or her. The top goal for us is that the SWAT guys don\u2019t have to do their jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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Blue KC supports the Kansas City community through impactful sports partnership programs<\/h3>

Blue KC Answering the Call Program<\/p> <\/div>\n

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