I hope this finds everyone well!  For everyone in Public Safety, this certainly has been a time like no other.  If you are still active police, corrections, EMS, Rescue, etc., hopefully your agency has adjusted protocols and you are back to conducting live in-person training.  I will be forwarding, in an email following this newsletter, reference materials from Ford for approved chemicals for cleaning vehicles.  I'd love to hear from everyone that's training as to what protocols and changes, if any, your agency has put into place to allow driver training to continue. 

Board Positions

      We had one nomination for each of the two open Board position.  Jonathan Davis from the Ohio Highway Patrol for the position of Vice President, and Michael Meixsell from Maryland Training Commission for the position of Treasurer.  These positions, since there are only one per position, would not need to be voted upon, and if uncontested by any active members, would take effect and sworn in at the conclusion of our annual training conference.  Since we are not having a Conference this year, these positions will take effect on October 1, 2020.  Both men have served ALERT in these positions last term and I want to personally thank them for the work they have done and thank them for their continued interest in serving our organization!

Conference....

        In addition to our annual Conference, the outstanding Region 4 Conference that was planned and scheduled for May 4th by the Adams County and Arapahoe County Co Sheriffs Office had to be cancelled as well.  We are hopeful that when things begin to open up we have more Regional Representatives plan and hold regional conferences later this year.  As far as our Annual conference, I have been asked if and when things get back to normal this year can we possibly put it back on the books and pull it off. 

      Unfortunately with the amount of pre planning and logistics that goes into planning our annual Conference, it would not be possible or responsible for us to try to put on the Conference with only a few months of lead time.   One of the larger concerns the Board had other than the concern for the virus situation itself, was Departments travel budgets.  With the amount of financial commitment to get a Annual Conference planned and organized, a poorly attended conference could possibly have bankrupted our organization.   We are already planning 2021 and hope for it to be our largest and best conference to date!  

       This will be a golden opportunity for regions to host regional events this year as things begin to return to "normal" .  Remember we will support a regional event in anyway possible.  Please feel free to reach out to myself or any Board member with any questions or concerns.

        We are continuing to work with IADLEST on a project of updating the LE Driving Reference Guide.  This will be a large undertaking and currently dependent upon IADLEST receiving a COPS Office grant.  

        ALERT Board working on.....with partner organizations and potential sponsors to continue to secure funding for ALERT projects.   Also, if we generate enough interest from our members, we are discussing the possibility of putting on a virtual training event later this year or early 2021.  Stay tuned....more to come!  

        Finally, please continue to follow us on Facebook if you have not already as items of driving interest are added and updated weekly. 

         Please continue to stay safe and healthy!