THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2026 SEMINAR SESSIONS

Tactical Leadership: Influence the Tempo of Critical Incidents

8:00 AM TO 9:00 AM | ROOM 206 | LEADERSHIP

Critical incidents rarely unfold slowly. Instead, they compress rapidly, forcing officers to make decisions with limited time, incomplete information, and significant consequences. When events compress faster than officers can perceive and process what is happening, decision-making shifts toward automatic reactions rather than deliberate responses.

This workshop examines how tactical leaders can influence the tempo of critical incidents before and during an encounter. Drawing on human performance research, including reaction time, movement speed, perceptual limitations, and cognitive processing, participants will explore how these factors shape their decision-making in rapidly evolving events.

Using the Response-Ability Zone framework and human performance factors along with a real-world video analysis, the session demonstrates how leaders can influence time, distance, information, and resources in an effort to preserve decision-making capacity.

PRESENTER: Derrick Crews, Staff Instructor, Force Science

Derrick Crews retired in 2023, bringing nearly 30 years of sworn law enforcement experience to his post-service endeavors. Throughout his distinguished career, Derrick served in a variety of key leadership and operational roles, including Assistant Team Commander for SWAT, Supervisor in the Criminal Investigations Division, Internal Affairs Investigator, CALEA Manager, Use of Force Coordinator, and member of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team.

Derrick earned his Force Science Analyst Certification in 2018, completed the Advanced Force Science Specialist Course in 2023, and holds a POST Tactical Officer Certification. As a respected and recognized instructor, Derrick holds a broad array of instructor credentials, both current and former. In 2019, he achieved national certification as an instructor through the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST).

The Supportive Leader: Empowering Injured and Disabled Officers

8:00 AM TO 9:00 AM | ROOM 207 | LEADERSHIP

THE SUPPORTIVE LEADER: EMPOWERING INJURED AND DISABLED OFFICERS is an educational workshop created to raise awareness of the impact of leadership decisions, agency policy, and existing laws that affect the well-being of law enforcement officers who have been severely injured while actively employed. The presentation explores several critical issues facing law enforcement professionals today, including PTSD, police suicide, and the financial ruin a police officer can incur after suffering a career-ending injury in the line of duty. Solutions are also put forth as the session examines the importance of peer counseling and the need for several legislative changes in a system that is clearly broken.

PRESENTER: Robert Bemis, Director of Training, The Wounded Blue

Sergeant Robert “Bob” Bemis retired in 2017 as a Supervisor in the Operational Training Division at the Pennsylvania State Police Academy in Hershey. With over 30 years of law enforcement experience, Sgt. Bemis spent more than a decade as a trainer in many police disciplines, specializing in officer safety, self-defense, and civil disorder tactics. He worked in previous assignments as both a Patrol Trooper and Patrol Supervisor at several stations in western Pennsylvania.

Sgt. Bemis was also assigned to the Forensic Services Unit, investigating major crime and accident scenes with emphasis on evidence collection and fingerprint analysis. In March 2015, Sgt. Bemis was severely injured while assisting a disabled motorist along an interstate highway. Following months of hospitalization and rehabilitation, Sgt. Bemis returned to his duties at the Academy and continued teaching for more than a year before retirement.

He shares the experience of his final 22 months in law enforcement as author of the book – Forged in Scars & Stripes: A Trooper’s Victory Over Critical Injury. Following retirement, Sgt. Bemis continues to provide training on a variety of law enforcement subjects and travels to raise awareness of the hazards present to emergency responders along our highways.

He currently serves as Director of Training and Peer Advocate for The Wounded Blue, the national support and assistance organization for injured & disabled officers. He is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, serving on active duty from 1986 to 1992. As a Military Policeman, he performed high-level security assignments, first as a member of the helicopter squadron responsible for transporting the President, also known as “Marine One,” and later at the National Military Command Center at the Pentagon.

The Long Road to Justice: The 50-Year Investigation of the Murder of Mary Schlais

8:00 AM TO 10:00 AM | ROOM 210 | FUTURE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT

On November 5, 2024, 84-year-old-Jon K. Miller was arrested and charged with murder in relation to the 1974 homicide of 26-year-old Mary Schlais. Schlais was murdered while hitchhiking from Minneapolis, MN, to Chicago, IL, to attend an art show. Despite the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office receiving numerous tips and leads over 50 years, it was the collaboration with Ramapo College that led to the arrest of Jon K. Miller. This case was challenged by difficulties in the investigative genetic genealogy process due to multiple adoptions over the years, however Dunn County Investigators were able to bring this case to a resolution with a confession from Jon K. Miller in the brutal murder of Mary Schlais. This case highlights the growing role of genetic genealogy in solving cold cases, as well as the power of collaboration between law enforcement and academic institutions in pursuit of justice.

PRESENTERS: Dan Westlund, Investigator, Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, Jason Stalker, Investigations Sgt., Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, Cairenne Binder, MS, Ramapo College IGG Center

Dan Westlund is a 19-year veteran of law enforcement with extensive experience in narcotics enforcement and general criminal investigations. He served 13 years with the Menomonie Police Department before joining the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, where he has worked for the past seven years.

Beginning his career as a patrol officer, he was promoted in 2014 to the West Central Drug Task Force, where he completed a four-year assignment focused on narcotics enforcement. He later transitioned to general investigations at the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, where he served for three years before returning to the Drug Task Force, where he currently serves.

He has demonstrated consistent success in complex investigations, including a recent record-breaking narcotics seizure. His investigative work has contributed to multiple homicide convictions, most notably in the Mary Schlais Cold Case.

In addition to investigative achievements, he has led impactful community outreach efforts, founding a Police Explorers Program to mentor future law enforcement professionals. He is also an experienced instructor across multiple disciplines. He has been recognized with several Merit Awards, Letters of Commendation, and a group award for Investigation of the Year with the Drug Task Force.

Jason has served in law enforcement since 2009, all with the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office. In that time, Jason served as a patrol deputy, K9 Handler, Investigator, Patrol Sergeant, and is currently serving as Investigations Sergeant.

Cairenn Binder is an investigative genetic genealogist, educator, and speaker based in New York. Her journey to solving crimes with DNA began with a childhood obsession with the television show Unsolved Mysteries. As an adult, she began solving her own family mysteries, practicing genetic genealogy to uncover the identities of her biological grandparents.

Beginning in 2018, she served as one of the first volunteer investigative genealogists, working with a nonprofit organization to identify human remains. Today, Cairenn works as the assistant director of the Ramapo College Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center, where she regularly leads teams of students and volunteers to resolve violent-crime and human-remains cases. Additionally, she is a founding partner of Coast to Coast Genetic Genealogy Services, which has provided traditional and investigative genetic genealogy services since 2022.

Law Enforcement Media Training

9:15 AM TO 10:15 AM | ROOM 205 | LEADERSHIP

Interactive Workshop provided by 5-time Emmy winner and former ESPN Anchor Steve Bunin, Trusted by 20+ Sheriffs’ Offices, Police Departments, SWAT & rescue teams. Officers will learn basic Media Training, then a select few will come on stage for a simulated TV interview/press conference and receive instant, expert analysis.

PRESENTER: Steve Bunin, Executive Communications Coach, Steve Bunin Communications

Steve Bunin is a nationally-renowned Executive Communications Coach who specializes in Law Enforcement Media Training of Chiefs, Captains, PIO’s, and more. He is trusted by 20+ Sheriff’s Offices, Police Departments, SWAT & rescue teams. A 5-time Emmy winner & 16-time Emmy nominee, he is best-known nationally for his nine-year stint as an anchor at ESPN. Steve is married with a daughter and two huskies, and he is also a highly successful varsity high school boys’ basketball coach.

Human First: AI, Judgment, and the Future of Policing

9:15 AM TO 10:15 AM | ROOM 206 | FUTURE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly reshaping the operational landscape of law enforcement. From predictive analytics and facial recognition to real-time intelligence platforms and decision-support systems, agencies are entering a new era where technology can significantly influence how information is interpreted and how critical decisions are made.

Yet policing has always relied on something machines cannot replicate: human judgment.

This forward-looking workshop explores the critical balance between technological capability and human discretion. Drawing on insights from Human First: AI, Judgment, and the Future of Policing, Dr. Mitch Javidi examines how leaders can responsibly integrate emerging technologies while protecting the essential human dimensions of policing—ethical reasoning, situational awareness, professional discretion, and community trust.

Participants will receive a complimentary signed copy of the book Human First: AI, Judgment, and the Future of Policing to support continued learning and discussion within their agencies.

PRESENTERS: Sheriff Michael Adkinson, Walton County Sheriff, Jeff Kingsfield, Co-Founder, MAGNUS ONE, Dr. Mitch Javidi, Founder, MAGNUS ONE

Sheriff Michael A. Adkinson, Jr., is a sixth-generation native of Walton County and a 27-year law enforcement professional. He holds a BA in Criminology from Florida State University and a Master’s in Criminal Justice from St. Leo University.

Sheriff Adkinson was first elected in 2008 and re-elected in 2012, 2016, and 2020, all without opposition.

Sheriff Adkinson resides in Point Washington with his wife, Erin, and two daughters, Annabelle and Ava. His wife owns and operates her own business.

Beyond the Paycheck: How Small Agencies Win the War for Young Talent

9:15 AM TO 10:15 AM | ROOM 207 | RURAL & SMALL AGENCY

You’ve heard the complaints about younger workers: They’re entitled. They don’t want to work. They’ll leave in six months anyway.

The data says otherwise.

Workers under 25 are bringing highly engaged, optimistic energy to work. They want to drive change and have an overall positive outlook on their company’s future and their own. According to Qualtrics’ 2025 Employee Experience Trends research, young employees are the most optimistic of all age groups.

So why can’t you keep them?
Because there’s one critical metric where young workers fall behind: their intent to stay with an organization for three or more years.

They’re not disengaged. They’re unconvinced. Unconvinced that you see them. Unconvinced that they belong. Unconvinced that their work matters.

Meet the Generations You’re Trying to Recruit
Today’s candidates grew up on stories of ordinary people called to extraordinary purpose:

The Marvel Generation (Gen Z): Raised on heroes who struggle with identity and belonging while using their unique gifts to serve something larger than themselves.

The Harry Potter Generation (Millennials): Shaped by stories of chosen ones who find their true family among those who share their calling — and who matter not despite their differences, but because of them.

These aren’t just entertainment preferences. They’re psychological frameworks. And they tell us exactly what these generations are looking for in a career.

A majority of Gen Z (89%) and millennials (92%) consider a sense of purpose very or somewhat important for their job satisfaction and well-being. Research shows Gen Z values jobs that allow them to live comfortably (77%) and pursue their passions (70%) over becoming wealthy (31%) or managers (12%).

They don’t want to climb a ladder. They want to join a mission.

The Small Agency Advantage
Here’s what most rural and small agency leaders don’t realize: You have something big-city departments can never offer.

In small communities, your deputies aren’t anonymous badge numbers. They’re neighbors. The work isn’t bureaucratic processing. It’s protecting people they know by name. The culture isn’t corporate. It’s family.

But if your recruitment message leads with salary ranges, benefits packages, and job descriptions, you’ve already lost. You’re competing on terrain where you can’t win.

The research is clear about what drives young employee retention: Having growth and development opportunities is the top driver of making sure employees feel that they belong, and a significant driver of employee engagement and retention. And even though employees believe mentoring would help advance their careers, less than a third have joined a mentorship program at work.

Your candidates want:
~To be mentored, not managed
~To be invested in, not processed
~To be believed in, not evaluated
~To matter — to you, to your community, to the mission

And more than anything, they want to know your why — and whether it aligns with theirs.

The Missing Piece: Your Brand Message
Most small agencies have never articulated their why. They post job openings that read like every other agency in the country. They talk about duties and qualifications. They never explain why their agency exists, what their sheriff believes, or why this community — this mission — matters.

In small communities, especially, candidates want alignment. They want to be united with others who share their passions and beliefs. Your why creates that alignment experience — or its absence creates a void that no signing bonus can fill.

PRESENTERS: Dr. Renee Thornton, CEO, Lead Researcher, Pathfinder Resilience, Jeff Dornbush

Dr. Renee Thornton is an organizational psychology researcher who specializes exclusively in leading high-performing mission-critical workforce cultures. With a PhD in Crisis Intervention and military service in both the Navy and Army, she brings academic rigor and operational credibility to organizational transformation.

Her firm, Pathfinder Resilience, has documented $3.2 million in measurable impact across agencies and developed assessment tools used with more than 10,000 mission-critical professionals. She operates from a “zero mediocrity” philosophy: if it doesn’t produce results, it doesn’t belong in the conversation.

Dr. Thornton is a published author, public speaker, and a featured member of Marquis Who’s Who in America. Her current work focuses on helping agencies identify, attract, and retain the rare individuals psychologically suited for high-stakes public safety work.

For three decades, Jeff Dornbush has answered the call. As a volunteer firefighter for thirty years, he has shown up – at 2 a.m., in the cold, on holidays, whenever his community needed him – asking nothing in return. Along the way, he’s earned multiple awards and commendations, but the recognition he values most can’t be hung on a wall: five confirmed life saves. Five families who still have their person because Jeff showed up.

That instinct for service runs through everything he does. A Master Electrician and commercial property developer, Jeff builds and strengthens the communities he serves – not just in a crisis, but every day. As co-owner of Pathfinder Resilience, he now brings that same hard-earned understanding of high-stakes work to the leaders responsible for protecting our communities.

Jeff knows what it costs to serve. He knows the weight first responders carry, because he’s carried it himself. For the men and women of law enforcement, who understand that calling better than most, his message lands not as theory, but as lived truth from someone who has been on the line beside them.

Gangs and Cartels Designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations: The Role of Sheriffs as the Front Line in Safeguarding National Security

9:15 AM TO 10:15 AM | ROOM 208 | PUBLIC SAFETY

As the front line in our nation’s fight against transnational gangs and cartels designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), Sheriffs play a critical role in safeguarding national security. This session, presented by the State and Local Anti-Terrorism Training (SLATT) Program, provides law enforcement leaders and personnel with the essential information needed to understand the nature, impact, and operational response to these dangerous criminal organizations. Topics include the FTO designation process and legal ramifications; national security threats posed by FTO gangs and cartels; indicators of FTO activity; tactics, techniques, and procedures; and tools and resources available to better protect our communities.

PRESENTERS: Undersheriff Michael Martin, Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Robert Mateo, Detective (Retired), Polk County Sheriff’s Office (FL), Sean Baldwin (Facilitator), Chief of Police (Retired), Fort Pierce Police Department (FL); Senior Research Associate, Institute for Intergovernmental Research/SLATT

Michael Martin brings more than three decades of distinguished law enforcement experience, combining operational excellence with national-level training and policy development. He currently serves as undersheriff of the Apprehension Bureau at the Ramsey County, Minnesota, Sheriff’s Office. In this position, he commands elite units addressing Minnesota’s most pressing public safety challenges, including the Violent Crime Enforcement Team, the Carjacking and Auto Theft Team, and teams focused on nonfatal shootings, gang activity, and fugitive apprehension. He serves as vice chair of the Minnesota Advisory Committee for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and as a member of the Minnesota Violent Crime Coordinating Council.

Since 2008, Undersheriff Martin has served as a trainer, facilitator, and curriculum developer for the Institute for Intergovernmental Research’s (IIR) National Gang Center, funded by the U.S. Department of Justice. In this capacity, he has trained thousands of law enforcement professionals across the United States, from street-level investigators to executive command staff and prosecutors. His specialized courses cover gang investigations, task force supervision, civil rights protection in intelligence gathering, and the Comprehensive Gang Model. His expertise has taken him to major cities, rural communities, and tribal nations, including the Navajo Nation, the Menominee Reservation, and multiple other indigenous communities.

Undersheriff Martin retired from the Minneapolis, Minnesota, Police Department after a career spanning 1991 to 2014, during which he rose through the ranks from patrol officer to inspector. He was an officer and sergeant in the Minneapolis Police Gang Unit and commander of the Minnesota Gang Strike Force. While serving as commander of the 4th Precinct, he led 129 personnel and achieved significant reductions in violent crime through collaborative community partnerships. His leadership during critical incidents earned him national recognition: as investigative commander for the 2007 I-35W bridge collapse, he coordinated multiagency response efforts with the National Transportation Safety Board, which became a national model for transportation disaster response. He successfully led responses to a devastating northside tornado and an active-shooter incident at Accent Signage Systems, earning the MetLife Foundation Community-Police Partnership Award for his innovative crime-reduction strategies.

Undersheriff Martin’s emergency management expertise expanded during his tenure as assistant director of the University of Minnesota’s Department of Emergency Management from 2014 to 2019, where he developed the institution’s first Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)-compliant Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment and coordinated emergency planning across five campuses.

As the national vice president and Minnesota Chapter president of the Midwest Gang Investigators Association and a delegate to the National Alliance of Gang Investigators Associations, Undersheriff Martin continues to shape national policy and best practices in gang enforcement while protecting civil rights and civil liberties. His career reflects an unwavering commitment to evidence-based policing, interagency collaboration, and the development of the next generation of law enforcement leaders.

Undersheriff Martin holds a master of Arts degree in police leadership, education, and administration from the University of St. Thomas and a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the University of Minnesota. His extensive executive training includes the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute for Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar, and the Southern Police Institute’s Administrative Officers Course. He maintains comprehensive FEMA certifications in the National Incident Management System and the Incident Command System.

Detective Robert Mateo (retired) is a duly appointed law enforcement officer and a deputy sheriff employed by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office in Florida. He has been employed in this capacity since 1995 and has worked as a detective for more than 23 years in the Strategic Investigations Analysis Section, Intelligence Unit. Detective Mateo has received more than 1,400 hours of general law enforcement training and more than 650 hours of specialized training in criminal street gangs. He has earned numerous (70+) commendations from the sheriff’s office and has been a three-time recipient of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Meritorious Service Medal.

Detective Mateo was a member of the West-Central Florida Multiagency Gang Task Force during his time in the Intelligence and Gang Unit and previously served as co-chairman. He is currently the President of the Florida Gang Investigators Association and has served on the board since 2003. Detective Mateo also currently serves as the Immediate Past President of the National Alliance of Gang Investigators Associations. He was a member of the Advisory Board for the New York Gang Investigators Association.

Detective Mateo is certified by the State of Florida Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission as an instructor for the Law Enforcement Academy. He serves as an instructor for the Florida State Attorney General’s Office and was previously an instructor with the St. Petersburg College Multijurisdictional Counterdrug Task Force Training. He has provided training on criminal street gangs to law enforcement officers in 27 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Cayman Islands.

Detective Mateo has been recognized by the National Gang Crime Research Center in Chicago, Illinois, as one of the top experts in the United States on criminal street gangs. He has provided instruction for attendees of the National Gang Conference. Detective Mateo has been declared an expert on criminal gangs in the Tenth Judicial Circuit by the Honorable Judge Jones, the Honorable Judge McCarthy, the Honorable Judge Yancey, and others. In this capacity, he provides expert testimony regarding the composition, history, and practices of criminal gangs. Detective Mateo has also provided instruction to the State of Florida Judges’ College on current gang trends and methods of operation. He also provided opinion testimony regarding criminal gangs to the 18th Statewide Grand Jury. Detective Mateo was also a duly sworn federal agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation since 2009, operating under the auspices of the Safe Streets Violent Crime and Gang Task Force.

Sean Baldwin is a senior research associate with the Institute for Intergovernmental Research’s (IIR) Center for National Policy Engagement and Information Sharing Initiatives (CNPEISI). In this role, he is responsible for delivering training and field-based assistance services that support the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA) State and Local Anti-Terrorism Training (SLATT) Program and the National Gang Center at IIR. Mr. Baldwin also supports the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s (OJJDP) Opioid Affected Youth Initiative (OAYI). He also previously managed BJA’s Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Program.

Prior to working with IIR, Mr. Baldwin served 25 years as a law enforcement officer in Fort Pierce, Florida. He worked as a patrol officer, a violent crimes detective, and a community policing officer and was promoted through the ranks, serving his last 9 years as chief of police.

Mr. Baldwin has extensive experience in law enforcement administration, leadership, policy development, crime-reduction strategy, and building impactful partnerships. He has served as an instructor in the use of force, firearms, and ethics. As chief of police, he led a community-wide coalition to implement the OJJDP Comprehensive Gang Model in Fort Pierce, providing a long-term solution to persistent and serious gang violence.

After his retirement, Mr. Baldwin served as an adjunct professor and as a consultant, providing training and consulting services to law enforcement agencies across the nation. He also served as a subject-matter expert on gang suppression strategies for the National Gang Center.

Mr. Baldwin holds a master’s degree in criminal justice administration from Lynn University. He is also a graduate of both the 208th Session of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy and the 113th Session of the Southern Police Institute Administrative Officers Course.

Recruitment in Jails: Strategies, Challenges, and Solutions

9:15 AM TO 10:15 AM | ROOM 209 | JAIL OPERATIONS

Recruiting and retaining qualified correctional officers is one of the most pressing challenges facing corrections today. The nature of corrections work—often misunderstood by the public—leads to misconceptions and negative perceptions that deter potential applicants. High attrition rates further compound the issue, placing significant strain on existing staff and increasing operational risks. To build a resilient and well-trained workforce, jails must implement effective recruitment strategies to attract the right candidates while simultaneously fostering an environment that supports retention. This workshop will explore the role of public awareness in corrections recruitment, outreach strategies reflective of community needs, and opportunities to streamline hiring and onboarding processes.

PRESENTERS: Michael Myers, Director, Douglas County Department of Corrections, Omaha, NE; Amber Redmond, Deputy Director, Douglas County Department of Corrections, Omaha, NE

Michael is the Director of Corrections for the Douglas County Department of Corrections in Omaha, Nebraska. He is a Licensed Mental Health Practitioner and a Certified Jail Manager. He is a member of the Douglas County Criminal Justice Systems Management Council and has served on several local collaborations of criminal justice and human service agencies. In 2025, he was elected to the board of directors for the American Jail Association. He has overseen the development and launch of many rehabilitation programs, officer wellness initiatives, facility renovations, and security enhancements. He has been an invited speaker at many local and national events, covering topics ranging from reentry to staff wellness.

During his tenure as Director of Corrections, he has navigated his agency through the COVID-19 pandemic, civil unrest, and critical staffing shortages. The Douglas County Department of Corrections now enjoys 100% staffing levels, has reduced the inmate population by developing alternatives to incarceration, has implemented facility-wide safety projects, and has become recognized as a leader in staff wellness initiatives. In 2023, Douglas County served as the host agency for the American Jail Association National Conference. Michael also conceptualized and planned a mental health addition to the corrections campus, which will be completed later this year.

What Michael is most proud of, however, is the wonderful group of staff around him, who make all of these accomplishments possible.

Amber Redmond has been employed with the Douglas County Department of Corrections in Omaha, NE, for 20 years. As the Deputy Director, she works collaboratively with the Director of Corrections and assumes responsibility in the Director’s absence for all operations of the facility. She performs a variety of managerial and administrative functions to ensure the safe, secure, efficient, and professional operation of all areas of the Correctional Facility.

Amber has a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She has been a member of the American Jail Association (AJA) since April 2010, earned the title of Certified Jail Manager (CJM) in November 2012, and has served on the AJA Board of Directors. Amber is a Certified Correctional Healthcare Professional (CCHP) and a graduate of the National Jail Leadership Command Academy, Class 17.

Evacuation Management for Law & Fire Service Leaders

10:30 AM TO 12:30 PM | ROOM 205 | PUBLIC SAFETY

Are you ready? As first responders, we know we have to perform in challenging situations, and that there are scenarios we have never encountered ourselves. Do you have a plan to evacuate your city or county? Have you built relationships with your partners? Are you prepared for the event to last for weeks or months? Finally, do you have the communications you need to be successful?

This two-hour seminar will help leaders PREPARE and RESPOND to a large-scale evacuation event within their community. The course was developed by two law and fire service leaders who have lived through it and want to help others learn from those experiences.

The seminar will be most successful if it’s attended by people who can implement change in their agency.

with an open mind to be critical of how we’ve always done it versus what we might need to do.

PRESENTER: Chief Ian Stewart, Estes Park Police Department

Chief Stewart began serving as Estes Park’s Chief of Police in July of 2024 after serving the previous 7 months as the Interim Police Chief. Before that, he served for 25 years in the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) in Northern Colorado. His final assignment with the LCSO before retiring was Captain over the Operations Division and a member of the Command Staff.

While at the LCSO, Ian served 3 years as the Commander of the Northern Colorado Drug Task Force. During that time, he received the prestigious designation from the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.

(RMHIDTA) Drug Unit Commander of the year. From 2016 to 2023, Ian also served as the Commander of the Larimer County Regional SWAT Team and orchestrated the team’s transformation into the Larimer County All-Hazards/Crisis Response Team.

During Ian’s career, he has served in multiple leadership roles outside his agency. He served as the President of the Rocky Mountain Tactical Team Association until he was term-limited. He also served on the State of Colorado Peace Officer Standard & Training Curriculum Subject Matter Expert Committee. Additionally, Ian served on the 2018 National Tactical Officers Association Tactical Response Operations Standards Review Committee. He has also played a role in dozens of regional and national critical incidents and disasters. He currently serves on several boards, including the Larimer Emergency Telephone Authority, the Estes Valley Crisis Advocates, and the Ridgeview Classical Schools Board of Directors.