National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum’s Destination Zero program to host conference and awards ceremony on Tuesday, November 10, 2020.
WASHINGTON — The National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum is pleased to announce former Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) President Chief Tom Manger will be the keynote speaker at its upcoming one-day conference and awards ceremony aimed at improving officer safety and wellness.
With a law enforcement career that spans more than 40 years, Chief Tom Manger recently spent four years as MCCA President. He also served as Police Chief of both the Fairfax County (VA) and Montgomery County (MD) Police Departments. In addition, he is a past recipient of the Silver Medal of Valor and was recognized as a 2018 Washingtonian of the Year by Washingtonian Magazine.
The Destination Zero Officer Safety and Wellness Conference, taking place this year on November 10, 2020, is a bi-annual gathering of law enforcement officials who are dedicated to improving the safety and wellness of their employees. Destination Zero is a program of the Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance. This year’s conference, managed by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), will feature prominent keynote speakers, two live panel discussions, the 2020 National Officer Safety and Wellness awards ceremony, and sessions featuring past Destination Zero national award winners and finalists. These virtual officer safety and wellness workshops are designed to assist agencies with beginning or enhancing their local initiatives to keep officers safe, mentally and physically healthy, and emotionally resilient.
Other distinguished participants in this year’s national Destination Zero Officer Safety and Wellness Conference include:
- Kendel Ehrlich, Acting Director, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice
- Katharine (Katie) Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs
- Chief Jeffrey Smythe, Burlington (NC) Police Department
- Chief John Carli, Vacaville (CA) Police Department
- Sheriff Brian Gardner, Linn County (IA) Sheriff’s Department
- Chief Will Balling, Sidney (OH) Police Department
- Kimberly Schlau, Driver Safety Advocate
- Sheriff Ira Edwards, Jr., Clarke County (GA) Sheriff’s Department
Verizon has served as the Destination Zero program’s lead sponsor since July of this year. “Verizon is committed to supporting the public safety community across the United States,” said Cheryl McKey, Manager of Events and Sponsorships for Verizon’s Public Safety Outreach Program. “We put our extensive, reliable networks and our powerful suite of collaboration, networking, and security services to work every day to meet your communication needs. We are a proud partner and sponsor of the National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum, in addition to being the lead sponsor for Destination Zero.”
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company will serve as the 2020 Destination Zero Conference sponsor. “Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to protect and serve our communities. Goodyear is proud to support a conference that helps provide the tools law enforcement agencies need to keep their officers healthy and safe,” said Rich Kramer, chairman, chief executive officer and president of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.
The conference will feature a session on the importance of wellness programs, including elements such as resiliency, mental health, physical well-being, as well as family and financial health for officers and their families. Presenters in this session include medical, mental health and wellness professionals, and law enforcement agency executives. Topics will include fitness tests, cognitive re-framing, and stress reduction.
A highlight of the conference will be the 2020 Destination Zero Officer Safety and Wellness Awards Ceremony. Sponsored by Verizon, this year’s awards will be presented by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan on behalf of the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs and the Department of Justice.
Awards will be presented to law enforcement agencies from across the country in the categories of General Officer Safety, Traffic Safety, Officer Wellness, and Comprehensive Officer Safety and Wellness.
This project was supported by Grant No. 2016-VI-BX-K002 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the SMART Office. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.
The national Destination Zero initiative and the Destination Zero Awards are sponsored by Verizon.
About the National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum
Established in 1984, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to telling the story of American law enforcement and making it safer for those who serve. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial contains the names of 22,217 officers who have died in the line of duty throughout U.S. history. For more information about the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, visit LawMemorial.org. Authorized by Congress in 2000, the 57,000-square-foot National Law Enforcement Museum at the Motorola Solutions Foundation Building tells the story of American law enforcement by providing visitors a “walk in the shoes” experience along with educational journeys, immersive exhibitions, and insightful programs. The Museum is an initiative of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization. For more information on the Law Enforcement Museum, visit LawEnforcementMuseum.org.