Hostage negotiation training and competition

SAN MARCOS — Nearly 300 officers representing law enforcement agencies from across Texas and the United States will participate in hostage negotiation training and competition Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 6 and 7, at Texas State University-San Marcos.

Teams will be conducting mock hostage negotiation exercises from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. both Tuesday and Wednesday at the Hines Academic Center on the Texas State campus. A day devoted to classroom sessions will follow on Jan. 8. The event is sponsored by the Department of Criminal Justice at Texas State.

Media coverage of these exercises is invited. For further information, contact Wayman Mullins at the Department of Criminal Justice at (512) 245-2174. For on-site interviews, contact Wayman Mullins at the Hines Academic Center. Mullins, a professor of criminal justice at Texas State, is an expert in hostage and crisis negotiations and terrorism.

To get to the Hines Academic Center: Take the Aquarena Springs Drive exit on I-35 on the north side of San Marcos. Turn west on Aquarena Springs Drive. Continue until you cross the San Marcos River. Turn right on Sessom Drive immediately after crossing the river. Turn left on State Street immediately before the first traffic light. Go up the hill. Hines Academic Center is the second building on the right on State Street. Parking is available in the parking lot across the street from the Hines Academic Center.