PROGRAMS WERE DESIGNED TO TEACH MANAGERS OF HOSTAGE INCIDENTS TO COPE WITH THE UNEXPECTED. THE EXERCISE AIMED AT TEACHING A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO THE MANAGEMENT OF HOSTAGE SITUATIONS. IN CREATING SCENARIOS IT WAS NECESSARY TO RAISE THE PARTICIPANTS' ANXIETY, INCREASING TO THE GREATEST POSSIBLE DEGREE THE STRESS ON THE DECISIONMAKERS. THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE AND A CAREFULLY ORCHESTRATED 'CONSCIOUSNESS-RAISING' EFFORT WAS USED PRIOR TO THE EXERCISE TO ENGINEER THE RIGHT FRAME OF MIND. THE SCENARIOS INVOLVE FOUR BROAD CLASSES OF PARTICIPANTS: HOSTAGE-TAKERS, HOSTAGES, RESPONDING FORCES, AND PROFESSIONAL MONITORS. THE CHOSEN SCENARIOS WERE INTENDED TO EXTEND THE PARTICIPANTS AS FULLY AS POSSIBLE. MOST WERE, EFFECTIVELY 'NO WIN' SITUATIONS. UNITED STATES LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES HAVE HAD LITTLE EXPERIENCE WITH THE TERRORIST-TYPE HOSTAGE-TAKER, BUT THE EVENTUALITY OF SUCH OCCURRENCES CANNOT BE IGNORED. THESE EXERCISES WERE PREMISED UPON THE NEED FOR DEVELOPING NEW TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES FOR COPING. EXAMPLES OF SUCH EXERCISES INCLUDE THE ONE WHICH TOOK PLACE IN SAN DIEGO, CALIF., IN SEPTEMBER 1977 INVOLVING THE SEIZURE OF A BUSLOAD OF PARTICIPANTS BY 'TERRORISTS' SUPPLIED BY THE SAN DIEGO POLICE DEPARTMENT. ANOTHER WAS MUNICH II, WHICH WAS STRUCTURED AS CLOSELY AS POSSIBLE TO REPLICATE THE EVENTS THAT OCCURRED AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES IN MUNICH. TEACHING EXERCISES OF THIS TYPE GREATLY ADD TO THE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE PROBLEMS INVOLVED IN COPING WITH THE HOSTAGE-TAKER. THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY MUST EXPAND THIS KNOWLEDGE INTO OTHER FIELDS TO FEEL CONFIDENT OF ITS ABILITY TO MEET THE CHALLENGE OF THE HOSTAGE-TAKER. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (STB)