Fellow Training Directors:
I hope this message finds all of our members well and enjoying the hectic days as we enter the Holiday Season!
Time to mark your calendars and for the January 2009 Conference which will again be held at the Best Western Sovereign on Western Avenue, Albany. Conference dates January 14th -16th, 2009.
In-coming president Chuck Holder has put together another informative agenda which will include presentations addressing a number of contemporary challenges for law enforcement agencies. Following the opening with the Office of Public Safety and MPTC updates, presentations over the next two days will explore the topics of “Environmental Strategies for Combating Underage Drinking” (a persistent problem throughout most communities); the “New NIJ Body Armor Standard and BVP Funding Update”; “Veterans Initiatives – Police and Returning Veterans Relations”, an issue that is going to grow as more and more veterans return from Iraq and Afghanistan; “Police and School Collaborations “Winning the Battle Against Gangs, Drugs and Gun Violence”; “Domestic Terrorism- Groups, Tactics and Strategies”; concluding with a presentation by NYS Department of Motor Vehicle Investigators on “Identity Theft, Money Laundering and the Drug Trade” as related to the car industry.
At the Academy Director pre-conference session, Maryellen Martirano will have the latest information on the First Line Supervisors Course review by Academy Directors.
Although this conference agenda is full, in-coming First Vice President and soon to be Agenda Chairperson Chris Sherwood will always be looking for agenda items to be presented at future conferences (especially new or innovative programs or projects you may be developing or presenting). He can be contacted at themardo@frontiernet.net .
As this is my final message as Association president before turning over the helm, to Under Sheriff Chuck Holder, at the January Conference, I wanted to take a moment to recognize everyone for all the support over the last 2 years.
To all of our active members and partners-in-training who have continued to support this great organization of New York State law enforcement trainers- Thank you!
To the academy directors, for their efforts and initiatives in reviewing and formulating contemporary recommendations for enhancing existing training curriculums- Thank you!
To all of our presenters, for sharing their knowledge and talents, to their agencies or companies for allowing them to appear and present, and to those who helped facilitate their presentations over the past two years and helped us fill our agendas, especially the regulars- Thank You!
To our corporate members especially Michael Loughrey and Hillary McKeon of Looseleaf Law, Louis Papa of Louis Papa and Associates, Mary Jo Cornell of Linstar Inc., Gary J. Prawel of Roberts Wesleyan College formerly of Keuka College, Curt Schultz of Keystone-Mid-Atlantic Inc, Milt Walsh of Milton C. Walsh and Associates, Joe Asti of BAE Systems for all of the financial support that is so necessary to hold our conferences- Thank you ! Please make every effort to utilize and encourage support these and all of our corporate members for your various needs.
To Joe Mezzanini, for the great job on our website- Thank you!
To Tommy Cole for his ongoing assistance as our election chairman- Thank you!
Lastly but certainly not the least, to the members of the Executive Board during my tenure as president, Phil Mospan, Greg Deluca, Ed Hempling, Hugh Lennon, Chris Sherwood, Doug Miller, Mike Bailey and Chuck Holder, thank you for all of your efforts and support during the past 2 years!
To the new slate of the Executive Board who will be taking over in January, congratulations and I wish you the best of success in any and all future Association endeavors!!
In closing I’d like to wish all a very Happy, Joyous and Safe Holiday season and Happy New Year!! See you at the Best Western Sovereign next year!
