Sitting around a table Wednesday morning, members of the Hays County Sheriff’s Office and San Marcos Police Department hear a voice coming from an iPhone.
A man is on the other line. He and two others are holding five people hostage. The job of this team of law enforcement officers is to negotiate their way out of this crisis. It might be a mock situation but the scenario is meant to test those attending the 31st annual Competition and Seminar for Crisis Negotiations at Texas State University.
“It’s the most unique hostage negotiator training in the United States,” said Wayman Mullins, professor of criminal justice at Texas State. “We’re really the only one that does this kind of training. There are associations that have conferences. But this is about practicing all your skills, not listening to a bunch of speakers.”
