SUBMITTED REPORT

The Department of Criminal Justice at Texas State University will host more than 200 officers representing law enforcement agencies from across Texas, the United States and Thailand during the 22nd Annual Hostage Negotiation Training and Competition Jan. 10-12.

A special guest speaker, Chief Inspector Andrew Brown from Scotland Yard, will present a seminar 6-8:30 p.m. Jan. 9 on Maritime Negotiations and working with the North Sea oil industry.

Approximately two dozen teams will participate, with municipal and state law enforcement units coming in from across Texas and the U.S., including groups from Oklahoma, Louisiana, Colorado and Florida, said Wayman Mullins, professor of criminal justice and an expert in hostage and crisis negotiations and terrorism. Local law enforcement teams from Hays, Comal, Bexar Travis and Williamson counties will also participate.

Teams will be conducting mock hostage negotiation exercises from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. both Wednesday and Thursday at the Hines Academic Center on the Texas State campus. Tuesday’s schedule will focus on classroom sessions.

“They’ll be graded on how they negotiate with the hostage takers,” Mullins said. “This is a role-playing scenario that tries to mimic real life as much as possible.”