Conference program

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Conference at a Glance (PDF)

All sessions are 75 minutes in length unless otherwise noted.

September 29, 2010
8:30 AM	Evacuee Support Planning for Disasters – Focus on Sheltering Sex Offenders, Parolees, and Other Unique Populations Sudha Arlikatti, Asst. Professor and Interim Program Coordinator Department of Public Administration, University of North Texas This session will provide information on the FEMA Evacuee Support Planning Guide, in which a state must act as a host during a disaster, receiving evacuees from another state, or portion of the same state. The speaker will focus on the particular gaps and organizational challenges in regard to preparing for and sheltering unique populations such as sex offenders, parolees, the disabled, and pets, while simultaneously meeting the needs of the general population.
8:30 AM	False/Altered IDs and the Problem of Underage Liquor Violations David Welsh, Agent Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission Underage drinking has become a major national concern. Annually, thousands of young adults are killed or injured in vehicle accidents related to intoxicated driving. Fueling this issue is the relative ease with which many college and even some high school students are able to create or alter state drivers license and identification cards allowing them access to alcoholic beverages. This session describes types of documents currently in use, tools and techniques to identify false, altered and fictitious documents, and details on Texas liquor law - statutes and penalties.
8:30 AM	Ground Fighting for Law Enforcement Officers Curtis Adams Adams Tactical Security Services When law enforcement officers find themselves in close proximity to a combative or murderous suspect, either during arrest or ambush, a fight may ensue. Ground Fighting is close-quarters combat while on the ground, and it is important that officers know the basics, since a high percentage of fights do eventually end up on the ground. Techniques such as eye-gouging, chokeholds, joint locks, pressure point techniques and various strikes can be employed, depending on the combatant's position. This seminar will show you what you need to know to prevail in a ground fight. Note: to participate in this session, attendees must be wearing loose-fitting clothing (such as running/gym attire) and flexible, rubber-soled shoes (such as tennis shoes).
8:30 AM	Legal Aspects of Officer-Involved Shooting Incidents Bob Gorsky, Managing Partner Lyon, Gorsky, Haring & Gilbert, LLP This session will examine the various legal considerations regarding officer-involved shooting incidents. The speaker will discuss the rights of the officer and the role of the attorney representing the involved officer. Included in the presentation will be the officer's initial response, the role of the grand jury, and the police agency's administrative investigation.
1:00 PM	Active Shooter Terry Nichols ALERRT The Columbine High School tragedy changed the way law enforcement officers responded to an active shooter event. Since 1999, most police agencies are conducting some type of active shooter training ranging from Power Point presentations and table top exercises to full-blown scenarios using the latest technology for force-on-force training. This session will examine current active shooter response tactics, which incorporate lessons learned from real-world events such as Virginia Tech University and Fort Hood, TX.
1:00 PM	Better Policing With Microsoft Office – Recommendations for Improving Law Enforcement Efficiency Sgt. Mark Stallo, Financial Investigations Unit Dallas Police Department Using Microsoft Office (specifically Access and Excel) to cut through your data is very useful for law enforcement at all levels. This presentation will cover importing data, queries and reports in Access as well as formulas, charting and data analysis in Excel. The session can help law enforcement to become more efficient.
1:00 PM	Death Notification Janice Harris Lord, Professional Counselor Death notification will never be a pleasant law enforcement task, but becoming educated about strategies that surviving family members have found helpful makes it much less stressful. Since all notifications differ based on what you find at the notification site, this session will provide those strategies as a toolbox from which you use what you need.
1:00 PM	Texas Weapons Law Kenda Culpepper Rockwall County Criminal District Attorney This session will discuss Texas weapons law, with a focus on legal descriptions of different weapons and the legal defenses to various statutes. The speaker will also discuss the new weapons-related legislative changes that took affect in the last session. Specific cases will be referenced to illustrate the nuances in the law.
2:30 PM	Animal Cruelty Investigations Don Feare, Attorney This session will discuss the nuts and bolts of animal cruelty investigations as well as the impact of some cruelty activities on the community and in commerce. The strategy and benefits to law enforcement of using one or both of the civil and criminal acts prohibiting cruelty - the Texas Penal Code and Texas Health and Safety Code - will be discussed as well.
2:30 PM	Driving Survival – Tactical Driving Skills for Emergency Responders Chuck Deakins, Trainer FAAC, Inc. This session will focus on driving strategies and tactics used during emergency responses that are designed to increase your safety, the safety of others and ensure a timely response. The information will benefit all emergency responders - police, firefighters, paramedics and EMS personnel.
2:30 PM	Self-Aid/Buddy-Aid Programs: Life-Saving Skills for Law Enforcement Officers David Flory, Chief of Police Bedford, TX Self-Aid/Buddy-Aid (SABA) programs, modeled after the U.S. Military's Tactical Combat Care, are designed for law enforcement officers dealing with life-threatening emergencies in the line of duty. The speaker will describe the history of SABA programs, the need for training, basic concepts, and use of medical techniques by officers, for themselves and fellow officers. Also discussed will be criteria for choosing medical equipment.
2:30 PM	“Follow the Money” – a Look at the Cornerstone Initiative for Identifying Criminal Activities George Ramirez, Senior Special Agent U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security/ Immigration and Customs Enforce Learn about the DHS/ICE's Cornerstone investigative initiative, which partners with law enforcement and private sector players to share information regarding activities of terrorists and other criminals. By "following the money," this program locates criminals who are earning, moving, and storing illegal assets. Topics will include money laundering, SARs, bulk cash smuggling, ID theft/fraud, and money service businesses. Included will be case studies, and details on "red flag" indicators that can alert law enforcement that a crime is in progress.
September 30, 2010
8:00 AM	Detecting Fraudulent Documents Edward Koranda, Special Agent, and Patrick Kastl, Special Agent U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security/Immigration and Customs Enforcem This session will discuss a variety of documents issued by the U.S. government, with guidelines on detecting fraudulent from genuine. These include green cards, Social Security cards, employment authorization cards, visas, U.S. passports, and border crossing cards. The speaker will display actual documents, genuine and fraudulent, and will include several case histories about detecting false documents.
8:00 AM	Ethics for Law Enforcement, Ethics for Life J.R. Price, Professor, Dept. of Criminology and Criminal Justice University of Texas-Arlington In this session, the speaker will discuss reasons for managers to stress ethics within their departments, and the importance of ethics for officers of every rank, when challenged by ethical dilemmas at work and in their personal lives. The presentation also will include the importance of the "tone from the top" in creating an ethical foundation for organizations.
8:00 AM	Multi-Agency Disaster Response Coordination David McEntire, Associate Dean-College of Public Affairs and Community Service University of North Texas This presentation will examine types of disasters, and how actors from law enforcement, EMS, regulatory agencies, and private and non-profit sectors can be effectively integrated. The speaker will examine alternative management approaches, and will discuss coordination through command and control vs. networking.
8:00 AM	Officer Survival of Aggressive and Dangerous Dogs James Osorio Humanek9.us This session will give law enforcement officers who come across dogs in their jobs a better perspective on countering dog attacks. Officers will leave with an improved understanding of how to prevent an attacking dog, making a stand, OC Spray effects, Tasers, taking a bite if needed, and more. Officers should also be capable of overcoming their fear of dogs. Keep in mind, a dog attack can be controlled. But if you panic and try to turn and run in an effort to evade a bite, a dog can and will run you down.
9:30 AM	A Look at Tarrant County's Successful "COBRA" Bait Car Program Sgt. Matt Pedersen and Detective Joel Harter Tarrant Regional Auto Crimes Task Force The Covert Organized Bait, Recovery and Apprehension (COBRA) program, coordinated by the Tarrant Regional Auto Crimes Task Force, is a bait car program begun in 2006, which is proving to be an effective tool in decreasing auto theft and vehicle burglary in Tarrant County. Learn about the history and success of the COBRA program - in which cars equipped with tracking devices are parked in strategic areas; on-board equipment includes video cameras showing the thieves in action. Participants include the Ft. Worth PD, Arlington PD, National Insurance Crime Bureau and the Task Force. Also discussed will be general auto theft trends in the vicinity.
9:30 AM	Grants for Law Enforcement – a Look at Effective Funding Strategies Michael Asimor Dynamic International In today's economy, grants are more important than ever as a means of law enforcement funding. This session will start out with a discussion of current local government funding challenges, followed by the specifics of grant writing. Learn how to get started with an application, how to write (what to do, what not to do), and how your points of contact can increase your chances of success. Also learn how to use to your advantage the Responders Knowledge Base and the National Incident Management System.
9:30 AM	Human Trafficking – Overview of the Trafficking Victim Protection Reauthorization Act Errin Martin, Assistant U.S. Attorney U.S. Dept. of Justice - Northern District of Texas This session will educate attendees on the growing, and often unrecognized crimes of Human Trafficking. The presenter will discuss the federal statutes that are available to prosecute these crimes as well as protect the victims. The presenter will also offer the prosecutor's perspective on investigative techniques and case preparation and presentation for these unique crimes.
9:30 AM	Tactical Team Close Quarter Countermeasures Larry Frye, TEEX the Extension Service of Texas A&M University This session is designed to provide tactical team members with information on non-lethal force options. The speaker will describe a simple and systematic close quarter countermeasures system designed for apprehending subjects during dynamic entries, hostage rescue or to control a surrendering subject.
11:00 AM	Fundamentals of Crisis Negotiations Douglas Whitten Jr., Special Agent FBI This session will introduce attendees to the world of Crisis Negotiations. It will provide an overview of the kinds of situations that result in the deployment of Negotiators, such as hostage taking, suicide attempts, and barricaded subjects. There will be a summary of the basic strategy used in these situations, as well as the psychological principles that support this strategy. Included will be an explanation of subjects' typical behavior - Instrumental, with clear demands and objectives, or Expressive, which is emotional and often illogical - and how definition of the behavior will dictate the negotiation strategy.
11:00 AM	Investigating Gang Crimes – Effective Collaboration Between Prosecutors and Law Enforcement Kevin Rousseau, Assistant District Attorney, and Chief of Gang/Homicide Unit Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office Gang crimes and violence are a major problem for police and prosecutors in all metropolitan areas. This session will focus on ways that prosecutors and law enforcement can most effectively collaborate as they investigate and work up gang cases - from the original offenses to the penalty and sentencing phases. Discussed will be common tactics that have achieved success during criminal case investigation and preparation, and remedies available to prosecutors to combat gang activity.
11:00 AM	The Texas Capitol Report – an Overview of Current Law Enforcement Legislation Charley Wilkison, Director of Public Affairs Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas The immediate past legislative session impacted rank and file officers with issues related to employment, rights, and on the job issues. The speaker will look at "the good, the bad and the ugly" as it affects Texas officers, as well as future issues that will definitely be brought back when the legislature convenes in January of 2011.
11:00 AM	What Law Enforcement Needs to Know About Motorcycle Enforcement Garry Parker, Law Enforcement Liason Texas Municipal Police Association With motorcycle crashes on the rise, enforcement of state traffic safety laws is a priority. Excessive speed, aggressive riding, failure to yield, impaired riding, and other issues contribute to putting the motorcyclist and passenger at risk, as well as threatening the safety of adjacent vehicles. The speaker will discuss detecting motorcycle violations, making safe traffic stops, and successful prosecution of the motorcycle violation.
1:30 PM	Driven to Distraction – the Dangers of Distracted Driving Dub Gillum, Trooper Texas Highway Patrol This session looks at the cause and effects of vehicle driver distractions. While the speaker will discuss citizen driver distractions, the main focus will be on law enforcement and public safety vehicles - examining distractions involving the drivers of police cars and ambulances, the most wired vehicles on the road. Drivers of these vehicles are dealing with on-board computers, radios, navigation systems and cell phones, and texting while driving and other dangerous practices have become common occurrences.
1:30 PM	Search and Seizure – What Are the Rules Now? Elizabeth Lutton, Legal Advisor Dallas County Sheriff’s Department This session is designed to update law enforcement officers on recent cases in both federal and state law regarding search and seizure. A special emphasis will be placed on traffic stops and reasonable suspicion from a practical standpoint for officers in the field. Home searches will also be covered, along with the exigent circumstances exception and warrant requirements.
1:30 PM	Suicide Detection and Prevention in Jails Robert Albritton, TEEX the Extension Service of Texas A&M University This session will provide corrections officers with an understanding of offenders with mental impairments and suicidal behavior. Suicide prevention should begin at arrest and continue through the stay in the correctional facility. Learn how almost all jail suicides can be averted with a comprehensive prevention program that includes staff training, intake screening, communication between staff, appropriate and safe housing, frequent observation, prompt intervention, and human interaction between staff and inmates.
1:30 PM	The Importance of Physical Fitness For Post-Academy Law Enforcement Personnel Dr. Stephen Farrell, Science Officer-Division of Education The Cooper Institute This talk will focus on the link between the physical fitness level of post-academy law enforcement personnel and their ability to perform critical physical job tasks. The speaker will discuss the pros and cons of various approaches to setting mandatory fitness standards within an agency. He will discuss 20 to 30 strenuous/critical physical tasks that are job-related, and will describe a suggested regime of tests that can indicate whether officers have sufficient fitness to perform such tasks.
3:00 PM	Apprehending Fugitive Felons Trent Touchstone, Assistant Chief Deputy U.S. Marshals Service This session will focus on specialized investigations, task forces and/or units to locate and apprehend fugitive felons (violent offenders/violent offenses), explaining how departments with limited resources and ever-increasing warrant backloads can address this problem area. Learn about some of the unique areas that comprise a fugitive investigation and the potential problems if fugitive felons remain at large. The speaker will discuss the network of United States Marshals Service Fugitive Task Forces and how these can benefit and assist federal, state and local departments.
3:00 PM	Child Abuse Recognition and Investigation Jackie Watson, TEEX the Extension Service of Texas A&M University This session will discuss investigation techniques for child abuse and neglect cases. Included will be information on the nature, causes and effects of child abuse; statutory authority and responsibilities; categories of child abuse and neglect; family dynamics and components of child abuse; guidelines for investigation; and common characteristics of child abusers.
3:00 PM	Laser-Based, In-Field Identification of Illicit Materials Bryan Ray, Senior Application Scientist DeltaNu Raman spectroscopy, first discovered 85 years ago, has evolved into a valuable tool for the in-field identification of illicit substances. It allows law enforcement officers, first responders and crime scene investigators to collect the spectra of suspect substances such as narcotics, explosives and hazardous chemicals; this can be accomplished quickly, and with a high degree of accuracy. In this session, the speaker will discuss the advances in laser and digital detector technology that have made these devices possible, how testing in the field is accomplished, and how the results of the identification of illicit material can be used by law enforcement.
3:00 PM	Leadership Styles – What Works Best in Law Enforcement and Why Gregory Smith, Associate Director Institute for Law Enforcement Administration Why does Supervisor A manage his employees differently than Supervisor B? They are both law enforcement managers, but are they both leaders? And which of these managers obtains better results from his or her staff? The speaker will discuss psychological types and behaviors that influence how managers handle their job responsibilities. And he will describe how leaders can develop strategies for rewarding and supporting the natural strengths of employees.
October 1, 2010
8:00 AM	Counterterrorism in North Texas Sam Simon, Supervisory Special Agent FBI This presentation will provide a broad overview of the FBI's efforts to combat the ever-present threat of terrorism. The speaker will discuss international terrorism threats as well as domestic terrorism threats. Cases that have been investigated and prosecuted by the Dallas FBI Division will be highlighted, followed by a brief Unclassified current threat picture.
8:00 AM	Managing Difficult Employees Dan Primozic, Associate Director Institute for Law Enforcement Administration This presentation provides a study of the specific types of difficult employees that law enforcement leaders are likely to encounter. It also speaks to how and why employees become difficult to manage and provides some helpful hints on how to deal with them successfully. For example, how does one deal with an explosive, hard-driving, aggressive personality who makes life around the department stressful and nonproductive?
8:00 AM	Methamphetamine/Clandestine Drug Laboratory Awareness M. St. John Dallas Police Department Gain a basic understanding of what methamphetamine is, the effects on the user, the extent of the problem, the primary methods of manufacture encountered in the state, and the ability to identify pre-cursor chemicals, improvised chemicals, and other items associated with the manufacture of meth. You'll also learn about the chemical, toxilogical, and physical hazards associated with meth labs, and the roles of first responders when encountering clandestine drug labs.
8:00 AM	The Desegregation of Texas Prisons Since 1990 – Encouraging Trends Within Prisons and Implications for Released Prisoners James Marquart, Professor of Criminology and Dean of the School of Economics Political, and Policy Sciences, University of Texas-Dallas This session will discuss the desegregation of the Texas prison system, begun in 1990 - from entire prisons, to cellblocks, and finally to cells - with a description of trends in inter- and intra-racial violence among prisoners between 1990 and 2005. The presentation, based on the first book to be devoted to an empirical and extensive analysis of prison desegregation, is based on original research and data analysis conducted by the speaker. Findings include trends of decreased intra-racial violence within prisons, and how this may relate to current decreases in race-related violence in Texas as a whole, as prisoners are released. The session will be of value to those interested in Texas history, prison history, race and race relations, gang trends, law enforcement, judicial intervention, prison organizations, and public policy.
9:30 AM	Arson and Insurance Fraud Captain Sam Stephenson Dallas Fire-Rescue Department Arson and insurance fraud represent crimes we all pay for. In today??s economy, there is a trend of motor vehicle fires and structure fires that are owner-related, with insurance as the motive. Learn how the Dallas Fire-Rescue Department conducts fire and arson investigations, and what the Department is doing to combat the problem.
9:30 AM	Gang Awareness Andy Caceres and B.K. Nelson Dallas Police Department This session will educate law enforcement personnel about the active criminal street gangs in Dallas County. The speaker will provide information on gang trends, terminology, and culture. Also included will be a history of the gangs, a breakdown on different types of gangs, and a look at criminal activities. Attendees will learn to better recognize gang influences in schools and communities, and about ways to address this growing problem.
9:30 AM	Interview and Interrogation Skills Max Palomeque, Senior Facilitator Shield Consulting International Learn valuable techniques involving body language to enhance your interview and interrogation skills. Concepts covered will include: establishing baselines, deduction vs. induction, interviewer/interviewee interaction and detecting deception. Understand the impact of cultural norms on body language and how to use body language as a tool to obtain and or elicit information. Learn why body language is the "universal" language and is often your first and best indicator of trouble.
9:30 AM	Utilizing Tactical Medics on a SWAT Team – Lessons Learned Chris Weinzapfel, Firefighter-Paramedic City of Rowlett, TX This session will describe the basic development of a Tactical Emergency Medical Support (TEMS) program, with guidelines on equipment, Memorandums of Understanding and Protocols. The speaker will discuss how to utilize Tactical Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics on a SWAT team, and with lessons learned, both good and bad, for TEMS programs.
11:00 AM	Dealing With the Media Janice Crowther, Senior Corporal, Media Relations and Department Communications Section Dallas Police Department This session will help those in law enforcement to be more effective in their dealings with the media. Included will be a list of do's and don't's, a discussion of why openness and honesty is the best policy, and the importance of treating the media with courtesy and respect. Also discussed will be specific situations, such as when an officer is killed in the line of duty. This presentation is for all law enforcement personnel who have occasion to interact with the media, whether regularly or occasionally.
11:00 AM	Electronic Crimes Task Forces – Combating Cyber-Based Attacks David Bentz, Special Agent U.S. Secret Service Congress in 2001 directed the U.S. Secret Service to develop a nationwide network of Electronic Crimes Task Forces (ECTFs). Learn about the ECTF task force in Dallas, and how it brings together law enforcement, prosecutors, private industry and academia to prevent, detect, mitigate and investigate cyber-based attacks on banking and finance, the high-tech industry, critical infrastructure, and more. The speaker will include several case histories from the North Texas area.
11:00 AM	High-Risk Vehicle Traffic Stop and Approach Tactics Wes Doss, Law Enforcement Training Group Leader Brownells, Inc. Traffic stops are a daily event for officers in the U.S., but every "ordinary" stop has the potential of turning extraordinary. This presentation will provide a practical base of knowledge in the dynamics of high-risk traffic stops, and will offer training techniques and resources for successful management of conflict on the roadway. Attendees will learn how to assess threats regarding stopped vehicles and how to prevail in conflict conditions.
11:00 AM	Tornado Emergencies – the Role of Law Enforcement Robie Robinson, Director of Emergency Management Tarrant County College District Tornados can present extreme challenges to emergency responders, because of their potential for not only causing damage and injuries, but also for knocking out lines of communication. The speaker will use examples to examine the role of law enforcement personnel in tornado emergencies. Topics will include damage assessment; staging area organization; communications when phone lines, dispatch centers and cell phone transmission are out; coordination with hospitals; organization of radio volunteers; dealing with power outages; Hazmat spills; and also public information and media response considerations.