Announcing - 2011 IACA Bulletin and Analytical Product Contest Winners!

Each year, the IACA holds a contest for members to submit their fabulous analytical products for a chance to win! These are products that they’ve prepared in the course of the year which have been distributed within their respective agencies to assist in or in support of an investigation. The official announcements were made on site during the annual training conference which was held this year in Hyannis, MA. This is a follow-up notice to inform our entire membership body of the exciting results.

First, a huge thanks to all who participated in the 2011 IACA Bulletin and Analytical Products Contest! If you were not a winner this time, try again next year as there were some very outstanding product submissions.

This year’s products were judged by the following panel of judges: Stacie Snow, Ventura County SD (CA), Shefali Tripathi, Gainesville PD (FL) and Mary Bertuccelli, Scottsdale PD (AZ). It is important to note that if anyone entering the contest was from a judges respective agency, the judge was removed from judging that category and Albert Mesa, Ventura County SD (Interim Awards Committee Chair) stepped in as the alternate judge. Tiana Antul, Worchester PD (MA) was our conference committee liaison and assisted on site. Thank you so much everyone, for your contribution to this event!

The winners of the 2011 IACA Bulletin and Analytical Products Contest are as follows:

Charting Category:
1st - David McClocklin, Ontario Provincial Police (Canada)
2nd - Jessica LeBlanc, Fairfax Police Department (VA)
3rd - Michelle Comeau, Center for Public Safety Initiative (NY)

Intelligence Category:
1st - Adrian Martin, Rochester Police Department (NY)
2nd - Sabrina Potts, Shawnee Police Department (KS)
3rd - Kellen Crouse, Albany Crime Analysis Center (NY)

Statistical Category:
1st - Kyle Stoker, Raytown Police Department (MO)
2nd - Leslie Morris, Albany Crime Analysis Center (NY)
3rd - Crime Analysis Unit c/o Lt. Daniel Wagner, Cambridge Police Department (MA)

Mapping Category:
1st - Scott Peacock, Walmart Asset Protection Investigations (AR)
2nd - Jessica LeBlanc, Fairfax Police Department (VA)
3rd - Ailsa DeVictoria, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (CA)

Tactical Category:
1st - Mike Winslow, Scottsdale Police Department (AZ)
2nd - Anne-Laure Del Cerro, Albany Crime Analysis Center (NY)
3rd - Zarine Hussain, Naperville Police Department (IL)

I can't thank the judges and committee members enough for all the time and effort that went into the contest preparation & reviewing all the submissions. We received 72 submissions this year, I’m told it was the highest in the history of the contest.

 TACTICAL CRIME BULLETINS – 25 ENTRIES
 CRIME/INTELLIGENCE CHARTING – 6 ENTRIES
 CRIME MAPPING – 17 ENTRIES
 STATISTICAL REPORTS – 15 ENTRIES
 INTELLIGENCE PRODUCTS – 9 ENTRIES

If you are interested in seeing the winning products from this year’s bulletin contest, they are located on the IACA website. http://www.iaca.net/conference_materials.asp


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If you were a winner who did not attend the conference and have not yet received your certificate, or award (1st place winners), please contact me at vp-membership@iaca.net . I look forward to increased participation in the contest next year!

An Historical Moment! IACA Exceeds 2000 Members!

I am absolutely excited to announce an historical moment for the IACA and our members!  This week, the number of active members hit a record 2000, and is still climbing.

We can attribute the success of our growing membership to a number of things, but most importantly it is due to developing and maintaining positive relationships with dedicated members who are passing the knowledge of the IACA along to others.

In addition to the number of members overall, this past year we have seen a growth in the number of international members.  In July of 2010 there were 29 countries represented with active membership; and in only a year we have grown to have active representation in 37 countries.

I encourage everyone of you to keep up the great work!  Continue spreading the news in regards to the benefits of becoming a member of the IACA, and I look forward to seeing many of you in Hyannis, MA at the upcoming annual training conference. 

Ericka Jackson, IACA VP of Membership

Getting the Most out of the IACA Conference

We're only one month from the 21st annual IACA conference! I look forward to seeing you in one of my favorite places.

I wrote the following tips prior to the 2008 IACA conference in Florida. I have updated and revised them for this year. I hope they help you get the most out of your conference attendance.

I attended my first IACA conference in Milwaukee in 1997. I remember it well. I was young and socially awkward. I didn’t understand a lot of the training. I met a few people but didn’t really make any lasting contacts. I came back with pages full of notes that I didn’t know how to implement. Frankly, it was only the San Diego locale that drew me back in 1998, and only the opportunity to give a presentation that made me return in 1999 to Baltimore. That conference was the turning point: I made my first crime analysis friends, presented for the first time, developed an effective way to capture ideas, and finally began to see what the IACA was all about.

I don’t want it to take three years for you. Every year, I despair that new members come to the conference for the first time, don’t make any contacts, don’t find any training relevant to them, don’t take anything back to their agencies, and don’t see any reason to return next year. If you’re new to the IACA, or your involvement hasn’t gelled yet, these are my top tips for getting the most out of the conference.

• Go to Classes.  Dowtown Hyannis will beckon, but it will be much more enjoyable as a reward for a hard day’s work than as a place to play hooky.

• Choose a mix of classes. At the IACA conference, you will find some classes on techniques (“Risk Terrain Modeling for Spatial Risk Assessment”; “Using Geographic Profiling as an Investigative Tool”), concepts (“Creating a Master Crime Analysis Database”; ”Using Smart Policing to Enhance Crime Analysis”), the profession and its resources (“Role of Crime Analysis in Hard Economic Times”; “Grants and Crime Analysis”), and the criminal environment (“Foreclosures and Crime”; “Abatement of Problem Motels”). Try to split your attention among them. Within these categories, assess your own knowledge and experience with the topics covered and determine if you are fluent in them, familiar with them, or flummoxed by them. I recommend spending 60% of your time in the “familiar” classes; they’ll start with a foundation that you already know and introduce new ideas and techniques. Spend 20% among topics in which you are “fluent”; they’re confidence-builders and the instructor may surprise you with a few new ideas. Allot the final 20% to classes that “flummox” you; they’ll inspire you with possibilities, and you’ll make them your “familiars” in one or two years.

• Don’t Take Notes; Make Lists. The presenters’ points will be covered in handouts, articles, and other resources. Don’t try to outline everything they say. Instead, keep a series of lists in your notebook: things to do, books to read, web sites to visit, resources to investigate, and people to contact. Listen to the presentations, think about how they relate to your work and your life, and add things to your lists as they occur to you. I come back with at least four pages worth of action items from every conference.

• Be a Good Audience Member. The speaker in front of you isn’t some paid professional; she’s one of your professional colleagues. She’s probably nervous, which doubtless you would be if you were up there speaking instead of sitting in the audience, smugly counting her “ums.” Help her out instead. Sit towards the front, try to focus on substance instead of style, keep eye contact, smile and nod when she says something you agree with, try to at least look like you’re writing things down, and see if the world will survive without your sending a text message every 45 seconds. 

• Compose a Three-Sentence Introduction. Networking is mostly about conversations, and when conversations fail to take hold, networking opportunities are lost. Give them something to grab on to. Your name and agency aren’t enough; write out a three-sentence introduction that encapsulates who you are, where you’re from, and what you’re doing there. (In career development circles, they call this an “elevator speech.”) This would be mine if I was new to the IACA: “I’m Christopher Bruce. I live in New Hampshire, but I travel around the country, providing analytical support to agencies who have adopted the Data-Driven Approaches to Crime and Traffic Safety model. I’m here hoping to hear analysts’ experiences with traffic analysis.” If my new acquaintance can’t think of anything to say about New England, travel, DDACTS, or traffic analysis, then he’s just hopeless.

• Make an Effort to Meet Someone New. It’s easy, once you’ve met a few people, to spend all of your time in their company. This goes for both new and veteran attendees. Don’t let it happen. Seek out at least one new person each day and give your three-sentence introduction, and make sure you go to a meal with an unfamiliar crowd at least once during the week. At the very least, seek me out and introduce yourself, because I want to meet everyone.

• Backs of Business Cards Are for Writing. When you get back to the office, you’ll hopefully have a stack of business cards, and you won’t remember who gave you each one. Scrawl liberally on the backs of them the moment they’re handed to you—appearances, impressions, what you talked about, what they promised you, what you promised them, what you want to say in your follow-up (see below).

• Attend the Annual Meeting. It’s more than just financial updates and membership counts: it’s your chance to lend your voice to IACA goals. This year, we’ll be talking about new and ongoing projects such as training, certification, and publications. We want your comments and questions. Also, several of your colleagues will be receiving awards. Actually, you might be receiving an award, and it’s always embarrassing when you don’t show up.

• Record and Follow-Up with the Contacts You Made. Send a quick e-mail to each person you met, refer to the topics you discussed, send along a copy of your bulletin or whatever resources they might like, and give them your full contact information. Then record their information in your contacts list. And take this trip from an old pro: use the “notes” field to write down what they looked like and sounded like; you’ll need this information next year.

• Send a Conference Report to Your Boss. When you get back from the conference, send a follow-up to your boss outlining what training you attended and what you got out of it, ideas you’ve developed, resources you found, and any other information that will help show that when you go to a conference, you come back with more than souvenirs and a golfing trophy. These days, everyone’s competing for training funds. Make them see how investment in your professional development pays off.

Give these techniques a try, and I think September 19-23 will be the best four days of your professional year. I look forward to seeing you all in just a few short weeks!

Sincerely,

Christopher W. Bruce

President

International Association of Crime Analysts

IACA VP of Membership Announcements & Volunteer Opportunities

Hi Members,


As many of you are aware, the IACA is operated by a group of volunteer professionals who have a vested interest in law enforcement analysis. Most of us are or have at one point in our careers worked as analysts or are affiliated with analysis in some way, shape or form. The amount of work involved in managing an international association of this size is insurmountable, however our volunteers (board members, committee members, presenters, chairs, webmaster, etc.) put their all into what they do. On behalf of the IACA Executive Board – Thank You so much for your contributions to bettering law enforcement analysis worldwide.

We are implementing more ways to ensure that YOU (our members) are actively engaged, involved and taking advantage of the benefits that come with being a part of this association. As Vice President of Membership, I am doing my best to be your voice and to ensure that your needs are being addressed in all areas possible. I encourage you to continue to share your ideas, talents and concerns with us as we are always looking for ways to enhance this wonderful association. The following are a few important announcements and additional opportunities for you to become involved in the IACA!

IACA’s Analyst Mentoring Program: Please congratulate and welcome Sheena Lovette, Crime Analysis Supervisor at Orange County Sheriff’s Dept. (Orlando, FL) as the Chair of the IACA’s analyst mentoring program. This program is designed for new analysts to pair up with experienced analysts in or near their areas. It affords you an immediate point of contact for a specified period of time and you are able to be comfortable asking the many questions we all once faced when entering the field of analysis. In order for this to work, we are seeking individuals who are willing to serve as IACA Mentors… Help a new member analyst, by opening your world up to an occasional analytical question via an email.

IACA’s Awards Committee: Since May 2009, the awards committee has been operated by Chair Amanda Carr at Ventura County SD (CA), and two Committee Members Kristen Jacoby of Denver PD (CO) and Albert Mesa of Ventura SD (CA). Amanda and Kristen are both moving on to bigger and better projects, thank you for your work with the Awards Committee over the past two years. With that said, we are looking for members interested in assisting on this committee in the capacity of Chair or as Committee Members. This committee oversees, administers and insures the integrity of various IACA awards, oversee the evaluation and judging of the IACA bulletin contests, finds fun motivating ways to recognize the contributions to the profession of Crime Analysis.

International Outreach Committee: This is a very new and exciting committee to further promote our presence worldwide. This committee would be most effective if consisted of representatives from various countries. Those representatives must be fluent in English and where applicable also fluent in your countries primary language. You must be willing to serve as liaisons between the IACA Board, various IACA committees and members of your country. Your help is needed with communicating the needs of analysts from your country, collaboration regarding training opportunities, providing recommendations and assistance as it relates to the translation of IACA resources, marketing to further promote the IACA in various areas of the world. Much of our work will be done via conference calls, web-based communications, and when possible at designated international conference events. Those interested in serving as International Outreach Committee (IOC) Chair(s) or IOC Members will help us take IACA to the next level of international involvement.

Those interested in any of the committees and positions stated above, please submit a notice of interest to vp-membership@iaca.net before deadline of Friday, July 8, 2011. A single (8 ½ x 11) page should capture all: Section 1: Committee and position you are interested in, Section 2: full name, agency (if applicable), complete physical address (country included), contact phone & email address Section 3: Tell me briefly how you can contribute Section 4: Bulleted list of your relevant qualifications

Once initial committee selections are made we will notify the membership. There may be additional opportunities on these same committees at a later date. These positions are voluntary as well. Pre-determined IACA Benefit Levels may be relevant in some positions and can be further discussed with each candidate prior to their commitment. Thanks so much and I look forward to hearing from you!

Ericka Jackson
VP of Membership

Vancouver and Santiago Symposiums Establish Successful Models for Future

Deciding where to hold the Annual Training Conference is a tough battle between mission and economics. While our mission makes us, of course, an "international" organization, the inescapable economic fact is that more than 85% of our members are from the United States, and most of them would not be able to travel out of the county for the annual conference. When we researched this issue a few years ago to determine if we could realistically hold the 2010 conference in Vancouver--just an hour from the United States border--we concluded that doing so would essentially be economic suicide. And, of course, we would leave most of our U.S. members without an annual conference that they normally look forward to.

But having all of our events in the United States seemed uncomfortably insular, especially with that "I" sitting conspicuously in front of our acronym. So we took inspiration from a much larger organization that has wrestled with the same problem: The International Association of Chiefs of Police. Although their international membership, and their overall resources, are much greater than the IACA, they still choose to hold their main annual conference in the U.S. every year. To salve this sting, they also hold separate, smaller, "international conferences" each year. In 2009, they were in Estonia and Taiwan; in 2008, it was Qatar, Brazil, and Turkey.

Our reasoning, like the IACP's, was that if we couldn't realistically hope to have our main conference outside the United States, that we could at least have smaller conferences--we decided to call them "symposiums"--that would provide some IACA presence and service where we don't normally go. In April this year, we had two: one in Santiago, Chile, and one in Vancouver, British Columbia. Each used a slightly different model of development and administration, but both were successful and bode will for the future.

We can't really take credit for the Chilean symposium. It was not our idea but theirs, and all the logistics and administration were taken care of by our partner, Fundación Paz Ciudadana, a nonprofit organization that performs research into public policy issues for criminal justice agencies in Chile. They work closely with the two major Chilean police forces (the Carabineros and the Policía de Investigaciones), the Ministry of the Interior, and the Chilean prosecutorial service. Representatives from all of these institutions, plus delegates from other South American nations, attended the three-day symposium from April 5-7. I, IACA Vice President of Membership Ericka Jackson, and IACA Technology Director Jim Mallard, gave several presentations, moderated panel discussions, and offered a two-day hands-on workshop for the analysts. We also met with delegations from each of the policing institutions in Chile and toured their facilities. We were particularly delighted to see the new Center for Strategic Crime Analysis at the Ministry of the Interior, which is headed by IACA member Martha Sepulveda. With only two police forces in the entire nation, and nationwide crime databases, a centralized, national crime analysis division is a real possibility for them. From what we saw, this unit is poised to accomplish great things.

The Center for Strategic Crime Analysis in Santiago

We owe a debt of gratitude to Executive Director Javiera Blanco Suárez, Deputy Director Patricio Tudela Poblete, analysts Fernanda Varela Jorquera and Hermann Schwaderer Zúñiga, and administrative manager Mariela Frindt Küllmer for arranging everything--from the travel logistics to the facilities to the translations--so beautifully. The three of us will also never forget our attache from the Carabineros, Marcelo Escoda, who accompanied us literally everywhere and ensured that our visit to the nation was pleasant and safe.

IACA representatives with the staff of the training academy for the Policia de Investigaciones, where the two-day workshop was held.

Our second international symposium, in Vancouver from April 27-28, was organized by an IACA committee consisting of Stacy Belledin (Lakewood, CO Police), Trina Cook (Tukwila, WA Police), Samantha Gwinn (LexisNexis), and Karin Sibilo (RCMP Vancouver). This was much like a smaller version of the regular IACA conference, with an open call for presentations and open registration through the IACA web site. The two-day training program featured a good mix of presentations on crime analysis techniques and innovations in the use of crime analysis by police agencies. We are particularly thankful to the Vancouver Police Department for sending such a large delegation, and Dr. Paul Brantingham, for delivering the keynote address. The conference met our registration goals (more than 75, with more than half from Canada), our financial goals (it made a profit!), and our quality goals (feedback has been very positive), and overall, I want to thank Stacy, Trina, Samantha, and Karin for providing both a valuable experience for the IACA and quality training for the attendees.

IACA Vice President of Administration Susan Smith presenting on "Predictive Policing" at the Coast Coal Harbor Hotel, Vancouver, BC, April 27, 2011.

One common goal that we have for any international symposium is sustainability. Although the IACA might sponsor or participate in a symposium, what we would really like is for the analysts in the area to continue the tradition in subsequent years after we leave. With many local crime analysis associations (e.g., MARCAN, MACA, CCIAA, VCAN) offering annual conferences for their members, there is no particular reason that crime analysis organizations in every region cannot do the same thing. To that end, the IACA board is working on ways to support such effort, including a profit-sharing arrangement to provide "seed money" to each area after a successful IACA event, and an agreement to send a certain number of IACA representatives to any international crime analysis event.

The success of both of these symposiums offers us two models for the future: events planned by a host organization, with an IACA presence, and events run directly by IACA committees. Which one we use in a particular area will depend on the strengths of our partnerships and the presence of available IACA members. But either way, expect international symposiums to become a permanent part of the IACA's slate of services from now on. We are looking at locations in the Caribbean and Europe for 2012 and should have announcements by the end of the summer. We hope that these symposiums, along with increased services on our web site, new partnerships, training agreements, membership outreach, and publications will help make the International Association of Crime Analysts truly "international."

Sincerely,

Christopher W. Bruce

President

International Association of Crime Analysts

IACA Represented at IA-IP Conference in Amsterdam

Greeting Fellow IACA Members:

Secretary Dawn Clausius and I have returned from representing the IACA at the International Academy of Investigative Psychology (IA-IP) at their 2011 Symposium in Amsterdam, The Netherlands (also known as "Holland").  We traveled over seven time zones overnight March 29th, arriving in Holland on March 30th.  That evening, we met with the top two leaders of the IA-IP, Dr. David Cantor and Dr. Donna Youngs for the longest dinner in the history of long dinners.  During the many hours over dinner and a lot (!) of very strong coffee, we gained a great deal of insight into the formation and goals of the IA-IP. 

In a nutshell, the IA-IP (http://www.ia-ip.org/) was formed for similar reasons the IACA was formed back in 1990 - to facilitate communication between individuals involved in a relatively new discipline and to help coordinate professionalism in training, research and practice.   The members, mostly Investigative Psychologists and students of Investigative Psychology, are concerned with the psychological principles, theories and empirical findings that may be applied to investigations and the legal process.

Perhaps more importantly (and of greater interest), a significant amount of their focus is on understanding "Modus Operandi" (or "MO").  Certainly crime analysts (and other members of the IACA) would take great interest in gleaning information from this group to help inform our analysis of crimes.  In fact, in my keynote address to the group, I stated (in part):

"Over the last 30 years, crime analysts have developed expertise in analyzing crime series for temporal factors, spatial factors, and offender and victim descriptions, but our approach to the question of modus operandi has never been fully informed. We use modus operandi to help link crimes in a series, and our experience with crime data allows us to determine what is unusual or unique about an offender’s chosen M.O.


Where we lack knowledge is in the science of turning M.O. data into useful inferences about the offender. What can M.O. data tell us about an offender’s likely characteristics? How can it help us craft a solution to the crime series? How can it inform our efforts to increase the likelihood of arrest, strategies to deter the offender, or ways that investigators can approach interrogation? How can it inform future efforts on similar crime series? How can we use the M.O. data to better understand the decisions and choices offenders make and how is this information useful to us as analysts, as well as police officers and investigators in training for and eventually responding to crimes that can be linked, associated and studied together in the future?
We believe that crime analysts are natural investigative psychologists who have so far lacked any real training in investigative psychology. We study crime series and have an innate sense of what is normal and what is abnormal. We have long wrestled with questions of offender behavior, but absent a framework or typology to assist us. This is what we hope to get out of our partnership with IA-IP. In return, we are in a good position to help ensure that the science of investigative psychology is actually applied in police agencies."

The presentation (Day Two of the Symposium) seemed to be received very well and Dr. Cantor even asked for a printed copy of my entire speech.  This was followed the next day with Dawn Clausius' presentation on Applying Theory to Crime Analysis Practice which was presented to a jam-packed room of academics and practitioners.  Her presentation led to a number of heated debates and discussions amongst those present, including Dr. David Cantor who had "showed" specifically for her presentation.  We were very pleased with the involvement of the attendees and interest in the presentation.

That evening (the final evening of the Symposium), the group hosted a dinner and award presentation banquet onsite. Dawn and I were thrilled to have both Dr. Cantor AND Dr. Youngs choose to sit with us for the event, despite having many other VIPs present to which they needed to attend.  During the awards and recognition, we were presented a "thank you" gift of appreciation of chocolate and a book on Holland, as well as a "toast" to us and our presence. 

At the end of the evening, Dr. Cantor expressed to us his excitement about this new link between our association, and with promises of continued open lines of communication.  Additionally, he suggested that we consider a collaboration through the IA-IP and the IACA "Press" (publishing arm of the IACA) to deliver booklets "by crime type" on the "MO" information that is known about each crime.  In other words, there would be a booklet on robbery MO's and what they mean / how to interpret them / how to respond / how to incorporate the MO in a forecast, etc., and another booklet on commercial burglary...and another on residential burglary....etc.  Dr. Cantor also suggested further collaboration involving Geographical Profiling and on case studies.   We believe this is just the beginning of a mutually beneficial relationship for both organizations.

Outside of our time with Drs. Cantor and Youngs and the time spent in class at the Symposium, we were able to meet with a number of international professional interested in IACA membership and collaboration.  This included an intelligence analyst with the EuroPol who inquired about the possibility of an IACA Symposium (like the upcoming Vancouver event) in The Haag, Holland.  She stated there were more than 40 analysts there that could support the Symposium.  We saw and met with an IACA member analyst from Trinidad and Tobago who also suggested support for a Symposium in the Caribbean would be strong if the IACA would consider hosting it there. A number of individuals inquired about membership and time was spent with each directing them to our website.  We awarded three complimentary one-year IACA memberships to the three individuals expressing the MOST interest in our association.

And, our trip was not all business - we DID get to see the Coffee (marijuana) shops, dozens of canals and the canal housing ($$$$), the Red Light District, the Floating Flower Market, the Weeping Tower, the windmills of Kinderjik, Centraal Station, Rembrandt Square, Leids Square and an authentic castle from the 1500s.  We found that everything in Holland came in small packages (small portions), but was outrageously expensive!  They are also a very physically fit society, with bicycles outnumbering cars 40-1 in Amsterdam (less outside of the city).  And, because parking is at a premium, the cars that they do have are mostly "Smart Cars" and smaller (yes, smaller!) and can often be found parked on the sidewalk.  The culture was phenomenal and the experience was outstanding.  We believe we represented the IACA very well and hope this event, in addition to the Vancouver Symposium and a visit to Chile by other IACA members, helps work toward true internationalization of our association.

With all good wishes (as they say in Holland),

Susan C. Smith
VP Administration

Dawn Clausius
Secretary

News from the IACA Board and Committee Chairs

Greetings, Colleagues!


Here is a short update from the IACA Board and Committee Chairs:

Vancouver Symposium: The agenda for the IACA Spring Symposium in Vancouver, BC, has been posted on the IACA website. Chair Stacy Belledin and her committee have assembled a collection of interesting and innovative topics, presented by crime analysis professionals with a variety of experience and education. Don't miss this exciting opportunity to gain new perspectives and to network with your peers! Register today! http://iaca.net/Symposium2011.asp

IAIP Conference (Amsterdam, The Netherlands): The Vancouver symposium is not the IACA’s only move towards expanded internationalization this spring. At the end of March, IACA Vice President Susan Smith and Secretary Dawn Clausius will be representing the association at the International Academy for Investigative Psychology (IAIP) conference in Amsterdam where Susan will present a keynote address and Dawn will lead a breakout session. Here we hope to not only strengthen our presence in Europe, but to establish close ties to another organization with a compatible mission. Here is the link for more info: http://www.ia-ip.org/

Fundacion Paz Ciuadana (Santiago, Chile): In April, Vice President Ericka Jackson, Technology Director Jim Mallard, and President Christopher Bruce will travel to Santiago, Chile, to present a three-day workshop to more than 150 members of the country’s three major law enforcement organizations. The sponsors of this workshop, the Fundacion Paz Ciudadana, is helping to translate our literature into Spanish and to find key members in South American nations. And speaking of translations, Exploring Crime Analysis is currently being translated into Portuguese and Chinese for international publications.

IACA Professional Training Series: Training Chair Lakpinder Takhar announced the addition of a new course, "Advanced Crime Mapping" which is being offered in late August in Westfield, Massachusetts. Find out more about this and several other classes currently listed on the IACA website at http://www.iaca.net/IACATraining.asp.

MAPS Conference: NIJ's Crime Mapping Research Conference, "MAPS" is being held April 13-15, 2011 in Miami Florida. There is no charge for the conference (registration is free). Three (3) of the pre-conference classes are being taught and assisted by IACA members including President Chris Bruce, 2011 Conference Chair Mary Craige, Secretary Dawn Clausius, and members Trina Cook and Phil Mielke. You can find out more about the conference at http://www.crimemapping2011.com/

CAU Development Center: The Development Center, unveiled several months ago, is now one of the most popular pieces of the IACA website. Here you can find out about setting up a new unit, resources for analysts and lots of frequently asked questions with answers. Check it out at http://www.iaca.net/DevCenter.asp

The IACA 2011 Annual Training Conference: Chair Mary Craige and her committee are already hard at work on the 2011 Conference in Hyannis, Massachusetts (Cape Cod). They've even made a Facebook page to join (IACA MACA 2011 Conference). Find out more about the conference at http://www.iaca.net/Conference2011.asp

The new Standards, Methods and Technology Commission: Led by Jason Elder, Cinncinnatti PD, and with the support of Derek Paulsen, Chris Delaney and Matt Harris, this newly formed group has completed their Charter and is anxious to begin their work in developing and publishing "white papers" which will further define our profession. For more information, email Jason at Jason.Elder@cincinnati-oh.gov.

We are also in the beginning stages of developing a Mentoring Program for analysts and starting our IACA Annual Training Conference 2012 city / hotel search. More to come on both topics!

We hope all is well with you. Please do not hesistate to contact any board member with questions, concerns and suggestions.

Susan

Susan C. Smith, BS (hons.), MBA

Certified Law Enforcement Analyst (CLEA)

Crime Analyst, Shawnee Police (www.cityofshawnee.org)

Vice President of Administration, IACA (www.iaca.net)

Past President, MARCAN (www.marcan.org)

Office (913) 742-6815

Cell (913) 302-4455

ssmith@ci.shawnee.ks.us