419. Every Contact Leaves a Trace – Police & Hostage Negotiation with John Sutherland

John Sutherland is a married father of three, who lives with his wife and family in South London. He joined the Metropolitan Police Service in 1992 – serving as an officer for more than 25 years, until his early retirement on medical grounds in 2018.  

Having started out as a uniformed PC, responding to emergencies on the streets of inner London, he rose through the ranks to become a highly respected senior officer. His last operational posting was as the Borough Commander for Southwark. He is an experienced Hostage and Crisis Negotiator, having been a member of both the national and international cadres. 

Since leaving the Met, John has become an established author. His first book,’Blue: A Memoir’, was an instant Sunday Times bestseller and his second, ‘Crossing the Line’ was a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week. His first novel, ‘The Siege’ – which introduced readers to the worlds of police negotiators Alex Lewis and Pip Williams – was published by Orion Fiction in June 2022 and shortlisted for the Specsavers Debut Crime Novel of the Year. Two sequels have since been published to significant critical acclaim: The Fallen in June 2023 and The Castle in April 2025. 

John is a sought-after public speaker – addressing subjects including leadership, communication and mental health – and a media commentator on matters relating to policing and society. He has appeared regularly on national radio and television and has written for a variety of national newspapers. 

You can find him on his website: www.johnsutherlandauthor.co.uk, on  

Instagram as john_sutherland_author, and on X as @policecommander