Sonya Rundles (‘88) and Alumni Association President Michael Burton (‘80), right, present James Hawthorne (‘83) with the 2003 Outstanding African American Alumnus Award during Homecoming.

James E. Hawthorne Jr. received his bachelor’s degree in journalism from UTA in 1983 and two years later joined the Arlington Police Department, where he has held numerous positions, including assistant to the chief. He has worked as a patrol officer, detective, personnel and recruiting officer and school resource officer. As superviser of the media relations office, he served as the department’s primary spokesman. He is currently a shift commander in the West Police District and supervises the Hostage Negotiation Unit. He also is an instructor at UTA, teaching law enforcement management and administration.

Hawthorne teaches courses on media relations, crisis negotiation and problem solving at the Arlington Police Department and the North Central Texas Regional Police Academy and has lectured on hostage negotiation and media management at the state and national level. His honors include the NAACP’s Thurgood Marshall Award for Law Enforcement and being named a distinguished alumnus of O.D. Wyatt High School in Fort Worth. Hawthorne and his wife, Stephanie, live in Arlington with their children Tamorah and Brian.