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Robert had been a Police Officer for over 18 years with a background on SWAT and the past 10 assigned as a full-time instructor. His instructor specializations are in Firearms, Active Shooter Response, Counter Ambush, and Tactical Medicine.  He has been recognized internationally as an expert in Active Shooter Events and Law Enforcement Training.  He serves as the lead Tactical Medical instructor for a federal counter narcotics training agency.  He routinely provides consulting on medical response for tactical trauma events. 
Robert also has spent over 27 years in the United States Air Force.  20 of those years were in Security Forces with the majority of his time working in ground combat instructor assignments.  In 2016, he became a Special Warfare Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC).  He currently has 6 combat deployments and is still assigned to the MS Air National Gaurd.
Robert is the President of Brave Defender Community Services, a registered non-profit, whose mission is conduct Active Shooter Research, Prevention, Preparation, and Education.  He also owns a training company providing Firearms and tactics training to military and law enforcement.
Robert has been published numerous times and routinely speaks at international conferences speaking on Law Enforcement training, Active Shooter Events, and Tactical Medicine.

Adam Kinakin is the Managing Director and founder of ILET Network, a community-based training platform for international Law Enforcement. A former Infantry Officer with the Canadian Armed Forces, he held various roles and was awarded instructor qualifications from many Canadian and international organizations. In July 2020 he created the International Law Enforcement Training Summit with annual attendance of over 10,000 from 75 countries. ILET Network has partnered with Federal, State/Provincial and Municipal agencies worldwide to support the evolution of training for Law Enforcement and First Responders. Adam attended the University of Saskatchewan majoring in Psychology and is beginning a Masters/Ph.D. program in Forensic Psychophysiology.

Army vet, retired national security, counterterrorism, intelligence and law enforcement senior executive, EMT, instructor, learner and world traveler.

Suzanna is a retired FBI Special Agent, President of PoliceSpirit LLC, fitness enthusiast and professionally trained dancer. In 2018, she became the first Mindfulness and yoga coach for the FBIs Hostage Rescue Team/Tactical Section, and has since trained over 17 FBI SWAT teams in the field in mindfulness-based strategies for performance and wellbeing via PEAK, a program she co-founded for the FBI. In addition, she has brought her training to hundreds of federal, state and local law enforcement officers and professional staff around the country. 

Suzanna holds a B.A. in Dance from the University of Akron, an M.A. in Business from the University of WI-Madison and has postgraduate work in Exercise Science from Cleveland State University.  She is an eRYT 500 yoga teacher and Mindfulness Coach for Law Enforcement and Public Safety via UC-San Diego and Mindful Badge. 

She has served as Adjunct Faculty for Notre Dame College of Ohio and the University of Virginia.

SA Thomas O'Connor worked for 15 years as a Municipal Officer in Massachusetts before joining the FBI in 1997. He specialized in narcotics and violent gang investigations, and worked on both International and Domestic Terrorism cases. He served as program coordinator for investigations involving extremist groups and was Case Agent for both the Pentagon and Family Research Council shootings. He has led forensic teams to multiple terrorist attacks around the world, and is a certified Adjunct Faculty member for the FBI Academy and the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies. SA O'Connor was a member of the FBI Agents Association's National Executive Board for 10 years and served as Vice President and President. He retired on September 11, 2019, in honor of FBI Agents who passed due to the 9-11 attack and related illnesses.

Donald Soranno is a retired special agent with 30+ yrs of experience in criminal investigations and corporate security. He served in the ATF, beginning in 1990 and worked his way up the ranks to become a Special Agent in Charge (SAC). He graduated from the FBI National Academy in 2010 and was a Leadership Fellow with the FBI Leadership Institute in 2012. Don holds a bachelor's in Criminal Justice from Ferris State, an MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, and obtained his Certified Protection Professional (CPP) credentials from ASIS. Don is currently the Senior Product Manager/SME with Evidence IQ and with their Ballistics IQ solution helps law enforcement agencies solve gun crimes quicker. 

In what ways did your responsibilities change when you transitioned from an assistant special agent in charge to a special agent in charge? Well as the assistant special agent in charge, I was responsible I think for six different law enforcement groups. And I met with those supervisors to see what they were doing with their investigations, each of those supervisors if there were operations or enforcement details that they needed to get approved, they would bring them to me and I would be approving those and sometimes I may have to go to the SAC to get authorization to move forward with a certain type of operation. When I transitioned to the special agent in charge, I was dealing more globally within the field division. I wasn't getting involved in individual investigations, it was more of let the assistant special agent in charge handle that. They would brief me on the larger type or larger scale investigations. I was more looking at the monthly budgets for aging cashier, bringing new people on. It was also going out and meeting with the US attorneys that were in my area as well as the police chiefs and sheriffs and other executives. And also I dealt a lot more with bureau headquarters, weekly meetings, bi-weekly meetings, monthly meetings all with different members of headquarters because I was a direct conduit from headquarters to my field division as a special agent in charge. So as you can expect as you move it up, had a lot more responsibility involved with me but also dealt more globally within the division and more direct contact with our headquarters.

As a special agent in charge, my responsibilities were more focused on global issues within the field division such as budgeting, meeting with local law enforcement and US attorneys, and engaging in frequent meetings with bureau headquarters.

In what ways did your responsibilities change when you transitioned from assistant special agent in charge to special agent in charge?

From Assistant to Special Agent in Charge: The Changing Landscape of Responsibilities

When transitioning from an assistant special agent in charge to a special agent in charge, my responsibilities underwent significant changes. As the assistant special agent in charge, I oversaw six different law enforcement groups. This involved meeting with supervisors to review investigations and approving operations and enforcement details. Occasionally, I needed authorization from the SAC for certain operations. However, as the special agent in charge, my focus shifted to a more global role within the field division. I no longer got involved in individual investigations, leaving that to the assistant special agent in charge who would brief me on larger-scale investigations. My responsibilities included managing monthly budgets, overseeing personnel changes, and engaging with US attorneys, police chiefs, sheriffs, and other executives in my area. Additionally, I had increased involvement with bureau headquarters through frequent meetings with various headquarters members. As a direct conduit between headquarters and my field division, my position carried more responsibility and required close collaboration with both local and central agencies.

The way I handle cases, where the perpetrator is a repeat offender is I don't make the assumption that this person has talked to detectives in the past and they won't give a confession. I never make that assumption, you never know who wants to talk to you. The person that they came across in the past, may have been a jerk to them, they may have been condescending. So I always work to try and build rapport with them. Them and just have a conversation heart-to-heart and sometimes they want to get things off their chest. So I'm some of the hardest criminals who are going to prison just want to have a conversation with you sometimes. So one of my biggest takeaways is to never assume who's willing to talk to you.

To handle repeat offenders, I always try to build rapport and have an open conversation with them. Never assume who's willing to talk to you.

How do you handle cases where the perpetrator is a repeat offender?

Uncovering the Truth: Building Rapport with Repeat Offenders

When handling cases involving repeat offenders, I approach the situation with an open mind. I never assume that the perpetrator won't provide a confession just because they have interacted with detectives in the past. It's important not to make assumptions about their willingness to talk.

I understand that the person they encountered previously may not have treated them well or may have been condescending. To build rapport, I make an effort to have genuine conversations with them, heart-to-heart. Sometimes, these individuals want to express themselves and get things off their chest. Surprisingly, even some of the toughest criminals who are headed to prison are willing to engage in conversation.

My biggest takeaway from handling such cases is to never assume who is willing to talk. By approaching each situation without preconceived notions, I create an environment where individuals may feel more comfortable opening up.

So BJ has a really good question. How can police forces across the country or across the world become more proactive instead of just simply being reactive when it comes to policing? I think that's not going to be a problem we're going to be able to fix until we're able to fix the manning problem that law enforcement has. We're so short-staffed right now we're barely able to answer the 911 calls for service in a timely and safe fashion and so until we're able to do that there's just not enough manpower and time for us to be able to go out and do any kind of proactive policing. We're just barely able to answer just those basic calls. So we really need to fix this manpower issue that we're having which is a whole separate conversation before we try and deal with how can we become more proactive.

We need to fix the manpower issue before we can become more proactive with policing.

How can the police force globally become more proactive instead of reactive when it come to policing?

Addressing Police Shortages: A Key Barrier to Proactive Policing

To make police forces globally more proactive instead of reactive in their policing efforts, it is essential to address the underlying issue of manpower shortage. Currently, law enforcement agencies are struggling to adequately respond to 911 calls in a timely and safe manner due to limited staffing. This leaves little room for proactive policing initiatives.

Before focusing on how to become more proactive, it is crucial to address the manpower problem. Increasing the number of officers and resources available to police forces is necessary to ensure that basic calls for service can be effectively handled. Only when this staffing issue is resolved can police forces allocate the necessary time and resources to engage in proactive policing strategies.

In summary, the first step towards enabling more proactive policing is to address the manpower shortage within law enforcement agencies. Once this foundational issue is resolved, efforts can be made to explore and implement proactive policing approaches.

Can you describe the work you did with the gang resistance education and training program that led to the Fleming Award? Absolutely. The great program is a youth violence prevention program taught by law enforcement officers in the school to help one, break down that barrier between law enforcement officers and the community. I want to get rid of that stigma and also to have those officers talk to the students about through this curriculum that they're accountable for their actions, how to deal with anger, how to deal with emotions. If you have an issue with somebody, you don't automatically just want to fight them. So the program helps reduce youth violence. So what we did with the training that we had to do, we needed to rewrite it. It was a little older. And so the idea was we brought in doctors of education and psychology and professors and teachers and students and law enforcement officers and basically coordinated a rewrite of the entire curriculum. We expanded it, we enhanced it. And my role with that was to oversee all of these individuals. I'm not an educator. I'm not a doctor of education or psychology. So we brought in all these experts over months and months and months, sat down, had them rewrite the curriculum. Then we had to test it to make sure that it was within the bounds that we needed. And then we worked to update and train all the new officers on this new curriculum and then finally rolled it out to the students. So that was what my role was. I oversaw all of that program and this new correct curriculum. There are a lot smarter individuals that worked for me that did a vast majority of the work, but I was basically just leading the overall rewrite of the curriculum.

My role in the G.R.E.A.T program was to oversee the rewriting of the curriculum and the training of new officers to use the updated curriculum. I coordinated with experts in education, psychology, law enforcement, teachers, and students to ensure the curriculum met its goals and was effective in preventing youth violence.

Can you describe the work you did with the Gang Resistance Education and Training Program that led to your Walter Fleming award?

Transforming Youth Violence Prevention: A Behind-the-Scenes Look

I led the work with the Gang Resistance Education and Training Program that resulted in receiving the Walter Fleming Award. This program is a youth violence prevention initiative taught by law enforcement officers in schools. Its aim is to break down barriers between law enforcement and the community, while teaching students about accountability, anger management, and conflict resolution. Our goal was to update and enhance the curriculum, so we brought together experts in education, psychology, professors, teachers, students, and law enforcement officers. Over several months, we collaborated to rewrite the entire curriculum, expanding its content. My role was to oversee this process and coordinate the efforts of these individuals. Although I am not an educator or a doctor in education or psychology, I ensured that all experts had a voice in rewriting the curriculum. We conducted testing to ensure its effectiveness within our parameters. Additionally, we trained new officers on this updated curriculum before implementing it with students. While there were smarter individuals who contributed significantly to this project under my leadership, I was responsible for overseeing the overall rewrite of the curriculum for the program.

So the question is, have I ever had to use DNA evidence left behind on a vehicle during a traffic stop to solve a crime? No, I don't. I've never worked in an investigative capacity, so I don't really deal with that sort of thing anyway. But honestly, I'm not even aware of an instance that that has taken place. Now, that's not to say it hasn't happened, not by any stretch. I'm just not aware of it. Where the officer touching the back of the car and transferring his DNA onto the vehicle, and then that officer was assaulted or killed during that traffic stop, and that DNA left on the vehicle was the critical piece of evidence to solving that crime. I'm just not aware of any circumstances where that particular storm of circumstances has taken place. Again, we talk a lot about it in police training, but I think it's one of those things that we talk about because we think that it happens more often than it really does, which is, in my opinion, honestly never.

No, I have never used DNA evidence left behind on a vehicle during a traffic stop to solve a crime.

Have you ever had to use the DNA evidence left behind on a vehicle during a traffic stop to solve a crime?

Rare Instances of DNA Evidence in Vehicle Traffic Stops

No, I have never had to use DNA evidence left behind on a vehicle during a traffic stop to solve a crime. I have never worked in an investigative role, so it is not something I typically deal with. Additionally, I am not personally aware of any specific instances where this has occurred. While it is possible for an officer's DNA to be transferred onto a vehicle during a traffic stop and later used as critical evidence in solving a crime, I do not have knowledge of such circumstances actually taking place. It is often discussed in police training, but I believe it is one of those scenarios that is talked about more frequently than it actually occurs, if at all.

What is your opinion on the role of technology in society and its impact on humanity? Great question. Not really controversial, but I think you're going to get a wide variety of answers to this. First and foremost, I think technology is an amazing thing. We would not be where we are today without technological advancements 50 years ago, and 30 years ago, and five years ago. Advancements that have been made have helped humanity and society in education, in health, in surgeries, in keeping us safe, in our daily lives, in cars, in computers. I'm doing this on my cell phone, so it's basically a mini computer. Technology is all around us. It's not going to go anywhere. I just think it's amazing to see what is going to happen in the next 5, 10, 15, 50 years with what is going to be developed by the young minds today that is going to advance us further out into space and become more technologically sound and competent. But I also think there is a little bit of a caveat that we have to say that while technology is an amazing thing and it's going to help us advance, I think we do need to limit our work and watch how much time people are actually spending on cell phones and on the computer and iPads. Because too much time on that, I think, may have a negative impact on individuals and the brain and just having that one-to-one interaction. So while technology is an amazing thing, we do need to just keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't run our lives or ruin our lives. Again, thanks. This was a great question.

Technology can be an amazing thing that has advanced humanity greatly in many ways, but it should also be limited to prevent it from having a negative impact on individuals.

What is your opinion on the role of technology in society and its impact on humanity?

The Role of Technology in Society: Amazing Advancements and Cautionary Tales

Regarding the role of technology in society and its impact on humanity, I believe it is an incredible asset. Technological advancements have propelled us forward in areas such as education, healthcare, safety, and daily life. Our lives are intertwined with technology, from cars to computers to the handheld devices we use every day. I find it fascinating to contemplate the future and the developments that will emerge from the brilliant minds of today's youth. These advancements will drive us further in space exploration and enhance our technological capabilities. However, there is a caveat. It is important to be mindful of our reliance on technology and how much time we spend on devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets. Excessive screen time can have negative effects on individuals' well-being and interpersonal interactions. While technology is remarkable, we must maintain a balance and ensure it does not dominate or detrimentally impact our lives. Overall, I see technology as an amazing tool that has the potential to benefit humanity greatly, but we must also exercise caution and moderation in its usage. Thank you for asking this thought-provoking question.