IACA at IACP

This week, the IACA is exhibiting at the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) conference in Orlando, Florida. It is our fourth year at IACP and by far the most productive. Hundreds of police chiefs have visited our booth and received material they need to start or augment their crime analysis capabilities. Many of your chiefs have stopped by to compliment your work and ensure that you are members of the association. Delegations from several nations have expressed interest in IACA training and group memberships (there are huge delegations from Nigeria, Brazil, the Bahamas, and several other countries). Several universities and nonprofit associations have talked to us about mutually beneficial partnerships. Now, in the last hours, our literature and promotional materials have dwindled dangerously (which, of course, is mostly a good thing).

We can credit the success of this year's exhibit to a number of factors:

1. This year, we unveiled a new exhibit, featuring panels depicting the crime analysis process in action, an electronic display, and games. IACA Vice President Susan Smith and IACA Secretary Dawn Clausius worked hard to select a modular, professional exhibit that fit within our limited budget.

2. We have twice the amount of exhibit space this year as normal--and a great location! On a corner near the entrance, with enough room for a golf mat, a plinko board, and a round table, we have created an open an inviting place for attendees to stop and chat.

3. This year, IACA Technology Director Jim Mallard and Lincoln, Nebraska Police Chief Tom Casady (who is helping to staff our exhibit) provided a Chief Executive Track workshop on predictive policing, emphasizing the role of good crime analysis. This presentation has already received a fantastic write-up on the PoliceOne blog.

4. We are regaling chiefs and other executives with our Crime Analysis Unit Development Center, a new section of our web site that, with text and samples, walks police agencies through the process of implementing, staffing, using, and advancing crime analysis. IACA members Kristina Shull (Kirkland, Washington) and Craig Werre (Redmond, Washington) have assembled this material over the last year, and we expect that it will be the most heavily-trafficked section of the new site (rolling out this week).

5. IACA member Debra Piehl is with us, representing both the IACA and the Data-Driven Approaches to Crime and Traffic Safety (DDACTS) program, in which the IACA is a national partner. DDACTS is directly promoting the use of crime analysis in police agencies and increasing the need for new analysts.

5. We have a well-staffed exhibit this year, with at least four IACA members at any time. These staff members--Susan, Dawn, Jim, Deb, Tom, Vice President Ericka Jackson, and Treasurer Tamara Otley--have been simply excellent, drawing in visitors with our games and give-aways, engaging them in conversations about analysis, demonstrating the new web resources, and sending them away with our literature.

I thank all of the IACA members listed above who have been instrumental in making this year's exhibit a success, particularly Susan for organizing all of the logistics for our appearance

Exhibiting at the IACP conference is expensive for the association, but we believe that the benefits are worth the cost. These include increased membership, increased conference and training attendance (and not just for us; we've been directing many visitors to regional associations), increased visibility for the IACA (which translates into inclusion on national and international projects and programs), and--indirectly but still surely--increased status for the profession, which ultimately translates to better pay and working conditions for analysts, and better use of the work that they do.

Christopher W. Bruce
President
International Association of Crime Analysts