Editor’s Note: In PoliceOne “First Person” essays, our Members and Columnists candidly share their own unique view of the world. This is a platform from which individual officers can share their own personal insights on issues confronting cops today, as well as opinions, observations, and advice on living life behind the thin blue line. This week’s feature is from PoliceOne Columnist Betsy Brantner Smith, who shares her recent experiences at the IAWP Annual Conference in Seattle. Do you want to share your own perspective with other P1 Members? Send us an e-mail with your story.
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By Betsy Brantner Smith
Street Survival Seminar Instructor
In late 2003 the General Manager of Calibre Press and the Street Survival Seminar asked me “is there something we could do just for women in law enforcement?” Without hesitation, I replied “give them their own seminar!”
He said, “make it happen.”
Really? That was not the answer I was expecting to hear. After a quick meeting with Calibre’s lead instructor Dave Smith and our sales and support staff, we made the one phone call we knew would make or break this seminar — we called the president of the International Association of Women Police. Not only did IAWP agree to support this new seminar, but they offered to promote it, sponsor it, and co-host it, and they’ve done so twice each year since our first women’s seminar in early 2004.
It was at my first IAWP conference, many years ago, that I first heard Dave “J.D. Buck Savage” Smith talk about “The Winning Mind” and how to win any confrontation. Since then, I’ve attended and trained at many women’s conferences since then and I was fortunate enough to attend this year’s IAWP Annual Training Conference a few weeks ago in Seattle, WA with Kisty Fairchild, the Marketing Director for Calibre Press and Police One. It was quite a week!
More than 624 delegates attended this conference, joined by local officers, family members, and many who came on “day passes” to attend some of the excellent training classes and social events offered at the Westin Hotel in downtown Seattle. Because this is truly an “international” conference, the training agenda was varied, making it difficult to chose which classes and workshops to attend. The Opening Ceremonies on Sunday, September 20th began with hundreds of uniformed attendees from all over the world walking together to Town Hall Seattle to kick-off the week-long event. After an evening reception at the Experience Music Project Museum, training began early on Monday morning.
The opening speaker was Colonel Katherine Miller, Deputy Provost Marshal General/Commander, U.S. Army Corrections Command who oversees six military prisons throughout the world. Col. Miller is also a wife, mother and role model for law enforcement and military women throughout the world. The next general session featured author Ann Rule, a personal favorite of mine. Ms. Rule, a former Seattle police officer, originally gained notoriety for her book A Stranger Beside Me, a chronicle of her own experiences during the Ted Bundy case. Now a popular “true crime” author and supporter of law enforcement, Ms. Rule talked at length about the infamous Green River Serial Murders.
The rest of the week flew by with courses on forensic ecology, prescription drug abuse and diversion, courtroom survival, human trafficking, investigating identity theft, gang awareness, less lethal force options, post traumatic stress disorder, undercover operations, active shooter response, leadership, homicide and elder abuse investigation, women and the United Nations, offender re-entry programming and so much more. Some of the best trainers in the business were there including former prosecutor Val Van Brocklin, international expert John Giduck, and use of force trainers Chris Myers, Tom Burns, and Rick Wyant.
The conference also boasted optional early morning and evening sessions featuring fitness, hands-on tactics, learning to help your child succeed, and a panel discussion of the new book A Different Shade of Blue; How Women Changed the Face of Police Work. I was privileged enough to be one of the conference speakers, teaching an overview of the Calibre Press Street Survival for Women to a packed ballroom. Police1 and Calibre Press also staffed a vendor booth at this event, allowing us to meet so many police officers from all over the world.
On my last evening in Seattle, the Seattle Police Department’s Harbor Patrol took me on a ride-a-long with the entire female delegation from the Montana Highway Patrol. That sunset boat ride, like the entire conference, was a unique experience and one I won’t soon forget.
Hope to see you in Minneapolis for next year’s IAWP Annual Training Conference.
