Patrol-Level Hostage Rescue Operations

This intensive 3-day, 24-hour Patrol Hostage Rescue Course teaches patrol officers the mindset, marksmanship, legal framework, and practical tactics needed to respond to hostage situations at the patrol level. Day 2 is live-fire rifle & pistol drills with movement, shot placement, and vision barriers. Day 1 covers legal doctrine, tactical entry basics, and focused patrol scenarios utilizing 1 to 4 Officers. Day 3 is full of reality-based scenarios and evaluation utilizing 1 to 4 Officers
Who should attend: Patrol officers and first responders who may be the first on scene.

Full Class Description

Course title: 3-Day Patrol Hostage Rescue (HR) Course
Total time: 24 hours (3 days)
Overview:This block course equips patrol officers with the mindset, marksmanship, tactical skills, and legal grounding to respond safely and effectively to hostage rescue incidents before specialized units arrive. Emphasis is placed on positive target identification, precision under stress, lawful justification for use of force and exigent entries, and practical patrol-level tactics.

Why take this course?

• Practical shooting for rifle and pistol in live-fire scenarios.

• Build a clear, defensible legal framework for split-second life-and-death decisions.

• Practice practical, patrol-level entry options and communication under realistic stress.

• Improve ability to articulate decisions and document actions post-incident.

• Gear list:

• Pen/paper for note-taking 

• Body armor and Duty belt 

• Ballistic eye protection 

• Blue bolt/blue guns with magazines for both

• 300 pistol simunition/force-on-force ammunition

• 300 rifle simunition/force-on-force ammunition

• Duty gun, Rifle, and Pistol

• 500 pistol rounds Live Fire

• 500 rifle rounds Live Fire

• Snacks

• Water                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Instructors: Brandon Hernandez has served with the Garland Police Department for 27 years, including 21 years on the SWAT Team, where he is the Senior Team Leader. He spent 14 years in Patrol and has experience in multiple specialized units. Brandon has led and participated in hazardous warrant planning operations, barricaded persons, and in real-world hostage rescue operations. He brings practical, operational experience to his instruction in patrol-based HR response.     

   Instructors: Senior Corporal Matt Smith has been an officer with the Dallas Police Department since 1999 and has been assigned to the Dallas Police SWAT Team since April 2005. Has been an Assistant Squad Leader (ASL) in SWAT since 2014. He prepares hazardous warrant planning operations, barricaded persons, hostage rescue operations, and training for each, along with firearms training. He has attended numerous schools, examples of which are not limited to tactical hazardous warrant entry school, tactical firearms schools, active shooter, hostage rescue, barricaded persons, law enforcement sniper, weapons of mass destruction, tactical rappelling, less lethal munitions, and chemical agents. Has assisted and served as the lead instructor for numerous tactical firearms, tactical entry, active shooter, and Dallas Police training programs; Texas Tactical Police Officer Association; Tac-Flow International for Super Bowl 50; and many other LE agencies.

  List of the classes he has taught:

  Dallas Police Department: Active Shooter Response, Basic SWAT, Advanced SWAT, Hostage Rescue, Barricaded Persons, Vehicle Assaults, Hazardous Warrants Entry, Arrest Warrant Entry for Patrol, Response to armed encounter at Love Field Airport

  Texas Tactical Police Officers’ Association: Tactical Warrant Entry, Hostage Rescue Entry, Tactical Firearms Shooting, Multiple Threat / Open Air Engagements, Low Light / NVG Operations.

Credit card payment is strongly recommended to register for the course.  If paying by check, make checks payable to:  TTPOA and send them to PO Box 304, Burnet, Texas 78611. Make sure the check has a note saying " Region 8 Patrol Hostage Rescue"

Questions regarding this course can be directed to [email protected]

NO MEALS PROVIDED

Recommended hotel with special rate for TTPOA / $105.00 a night

Guests can either call in directly at 254-752-4400 and ask for the Texas Tactical Police Officers Association Rate, they can book through the Hilton Honors app using the Company Code: 0003136354, or they can book the Booking Link below. If it won't open just copy and paste it in your browser.

https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/deeplink/?ctyhocn=ACTHTHT&corporateCode=0003136354,

TTPOA believes in bringing in some of the best instructors in the country to share their knowledge and experience. If you have requests for a specific instructor or course, contact your Regional Director.