Day 2: Officer Bias, Exhibit Halls Open, and Committees Meet on Important Policy Stances
The American Police Officers Alliance continues its updates from day 2 of the National Sheriff’s Association education and technology conference. The APOA is honored recently to become auxiliary members of the NSA. This is the organization’s first conference as an NSA member.
The morning sessions on Sunday were focused on individual committees and subcommittees within the NSA that are deciding on policy stances for the next two years. The NSA has a policy that all resolutions require renewal every two years. The work of the committees determines important policy stances on issues like border security, drugs, marijuana, and corrections.
There was a brief session on Sunday in which NSA members were briefed over ongoing manners in the Supreme Court of the United States affecting their membership. With the Supreme Court’s 2019 calendar year coming to an end in June, there are still four cases yet to be decided by the nation’s highest court relating to law enforcement. The most notable cases are Hernandez v. Mesa relating to search and seizure and Holgun-Hernandez v. United States relating to criminal sentencing.
The APOA is committed to educating the public on police oversight boards and its effects. One of Sunday’s continuing education sessions was on the issue of implicit bias. Dr. Kimberly Miller, a psychologist, briefed attendees that law enforcement agencies must adapt to the increasing litigative environment by teaching officers about implicit bias. Implicit bias is an attitude that may be passed on through past experience or someone’s upbringing. Dr. Miller said that implicit bias training should begin before any major controversies happen.
The day ended with the grand opening of the exhibit hall for the 2019 NSA Education and Technology conference on the upper level of the Kentucky International Convention Center. There are hundreds of exhibitors on hand highlighting the latest goods and services for the law enforcement community. Some of the most popular stops on the first day of the exhibitor’s booth was a mobile command post provided by Hennepin County, Minnesota Sheriff’s Office and an interactive corrections booth by Bob Barker Correctional Supplies.
Join us tomorrow for the general session and more from the exhibition booths.
The American Police Officers Alliance is a national political organization organized under Section 527. Supporters are made up of police, citizens, organizations and public supporters working together to ensure our nation’s finest and our citizens have a unified voice in politics.
