Previously, John, a family mediator for almost 10 years, and new resident of a small town in a rural area, offered his help to the local police chief during a discussion about domestic violence situations. 

John didn’t realize that what he thought was merely a networking strategy could result in a situation where he might actually be called on to help.

A local resident is holding his wife and two children in their home.  The wife called 911 saying that her husband was drunk and had hit her.  Then the line went dead.  Since the chief is sending a car to pick him up, John thinks he could at least go to the scene, assess the situation and make a recommendation as to how the chief and his officers should proceed.

When the car arrives, the officer tells John that Buddy was drunk and belligerent when the first car with an officer arrived at Buddy’s home.  Buddy yelled at the officer to get off his property and then fired a shotgun into the air.

Three police cars are there when John arrives.  One officer used a cell phone to call Buddy’s home phone.  Buddy answered and said, “This ain’t no police matter.  This is private.  Y’all go home and leave me alone.”  Then, he hung up.  The chief tells John that Buddy has not said anything else to them and there has been no sign of his wife Sally or the children.

The chief asks John if he would trying speaking with Buddy since John is not a police officer and has experience in working with angry clients.  The chief says they could have all the cars except the one with John and officer Jones leave the scene, but that a sharpshooter would be setting up in the woods nearby “just in case.”

John admits to the chief that he has never been in a situation like this before.  The chief replies that he hasn’t either but, “time’s a wastin’ and something’s got to be done.

What should John do now?