Wayman Mullins named 2016 Negotiator of the Year by NTOA

By Jack McClellan
Office of Media Relations
November 30, 2016

Wayman Mullins, a professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at Texas State University, has been awarded the 2016 Negotiator of the Year by the National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA).

The award is given each year to a person who “significantly contributed to the crisis negotiations field by exemplifying in a real-life situation the skills and techniques needed to defuse a critical incident; by instructing nationally recognized negotiation concepts; or by advancing the negotiations/tactical team concept,” according to the NTOA website.

“To be recognized by the NTOA as the negotiator of the year was beyond comprehension,” Mullins said. “Out of the thousands that could have been awarded this honor is, to me, truly a humbling experience.”

Mullins also received an honorary life membership from the Texas Association of Hostage Negotiators (TAHN).

“I think [they] awarded me an honorary life membership both for my work and contributions to the field of negotiations and to my work and contributions to THAN,” Mullins said. “I have been a member since they began over 20 years ago, have presented numerous times at their annual conference, served on the board for over eight years in various capacities, and conduct regional training throughout the year all around the state.”

Mullins has published more than 50 articles and made more than 100 presentations on crisis negotiation, terrorism, stress, PTSD and other police issues. He has also consulted for law enforcement and correction agencies at the local, state and federal levels, for private business and international corporations. Mullins teaches negotiation overseas for the U.S. State Department, including in Ecuador, the Philippines and Paraguay. He started the negotiation team and program in Costa Rica in the 1990s. In addition to his professorial duties, Mullins is currently a commissioned officer with the Hays County Sheriff’s Department and is on their crisis negotiation team.

According to the NTOA, Mullins was given the award because he “embodies all that the NTOA values. His selfless contributions and dedication to the profession over several decades have earned him the NTOA Crisis Negotiations Award.”

“These two awards are something I am proud to share with the law enforcement community,” Mullins said. “They are the ones that made it possible. Both awards are the result of team efforts, not anything I did individually.”