MSP sergeant named Michigan’s Negotiator of the Year
Sgt. Jacob Hubbard honored for role in safely resolving January hostage incident
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MARQUETTE -- A Michigan State Police sergeant based in St. Ignace has received statewide recognition for his work helping resolve a dangerous hostage situation in Marquette County earlier this year.
Sgt. Jacob Hubbard was unanimously selected to receive the Michigan Association of Hostage Negotiators' 2026 "Negotiator of the Year" award for his role in a Jan. 3-4 incident involving an armed suspect, a woman and four children held against their will and numerous dogs at a rural residence.
Hubbard's efforts during several hours of negotiations helped authorities work toward a peaceful resolution before a tactical team ultimately entered the home. All five hostages were rescued safely and the suspect was taken into custody.
According to the state police, Hubbard was selected from a group of candidates who demonstrated outstanding work in hostage negotiation.
In addition to his full-time duties as a sergeant at the MSP St. Ignace post, Hubbard serves as a negotiator with the department's Emergency Support Team, which responds to dangerous and critical incidents throughout the state.
Hours of negotiations
The incident began on the evening of Jan. 3, when a neighbor of Kyle Beauchemin reported that one of Beauchemin's dogs had attacked the neighbor's livestock.
Deputies from the Marquette County Sheriff's Office and a Michigan State Police trooper from the Negaunee post attempted to contact Beauchemin at his home but received no answer.
At approximately 9:50 p.m., deputies and troopers were dispatched back to the residence following a reported domestic violence incident. Authorities received information that Beauchemin was inside with his girlfriend and their four children, who were reportedly being held against their will. An estimated 28 pit bull mix dogs were also in and around the home.
The Marquette County Sheriff's Office obtained an arrest warrant for Beauchemin. Because of reports that he was armed and holding hostages, the MSP Emergency Support Team was called in during the early morning hours of Jan. 4.
Hubbard made contact with Beauchemin's girlfriend, who expressed fear for her safety and the safety of the children. Authorities were also informed that Beauchemin reportedly had firearms.
Hubbard subsequently established contact with Beauchemin and began negotiating with him over the phone. Although Beauchemin agreed several times to leave the cabin peacefully, he did not follow through. Hubbard maintained communication with the suspect for several hours, continuing efforts to resolve the standoff without further harm.
Critical information during tactical entry
As negotiations continued without a peaceful surrender, authorities eventually decided to enter the cabin.
During preparations for the operation, Hubbard provided the tactical team with a detailed description of the cabin and information about the location of firearms inside the residence.
When the team entered, Beauchemin used his girlfriend and the children as human shields, according to the incident account. Hubbard relayed information about the suspect's movements to tactical team members in real time, helping them respond to the rapidly changing situation.
Beauchemin was taken into custody and all five hostages were rescued safely.
He was lodged in the Marquette County Jail. The investigation was turned over to the Marquette County Sheriff's Office, which served as the lead investigating agency.
Teamwork across agencies
State police credited Hubbard's negotiation efforts and the coordinated response of multiple agencies with helping bring the incident to a safe conclusion.
In addition to Hubbard and the MSP Emergency Support Team, the response involved the Marquette County Sheriff's Office, troopers from the MSP Negaunee post, Marquette Central Dispatch and the MSP Negaunee Regional Communications Center.
Hubbard's work demonstrated the importance of negotiators in high-risk law enforcement incidents. By maintaining contact with an armed suspect, gathering information and communicating with tactical personnel, negotiators can help teams make informed decisions as circumstances change.
Hubbard's unanimous selection for the 2026 Negotiator of the Year award recognizes his performance under exceptionally challenging circumstances and the importance of patience, communication and coordination in resolving critical incidents.
While the safe rescue was the result of a collective effort involving several agencies, Hubbard's ability to sustain negotiations and provide real-time information to tactical personnel was a key part of the operation.