Inspirational Keynote by CA Deputy Police Chief to Open National School Safety Conference

Long Beach, CA, Deputy Police Chief Michael Beckman will open the July National Association of School Resource Officers' (NASRO) school safety conference in Washington, D.C., with an inspirational keynote address. Beckman is a 28-year veteran of law enforcement. He has experience addressing the diverse and comprehensive impacts on the criminal justice system of at-risk youth as well as people who are homeless or mentally ill. His presentation is entitled, "Lessons on Life, Legacy and Livelihood."

NASRO's 27th annual global conference takes place July 23–28 at the Washington Hilton, 1919 Connecticut Ave NW. The conference provides education and networking opportunities to school resource officers (SROs) and other law enforcement officers, as well as school security and safety officials, school board members, administrators and anyone interested in school safety.

Beckman has addressed an array of mental health stakeholders, including persons affected by mental illness and their families, as well as health care workers, law enforcement colleagues and college students seeking careers in social work.

Other keynote speakers include:

• Tina Frundt, the founder and executive director of Courtney's House (a nonprofit organization that fights child sex trafficking), who will speak on how school resource officers and others can protect children from sexual exploitation.

• Pepperdine University law professor Bernie James, who will provide a national school law update.

• Oak Creek, WI, Police Lt. Brian Murphy, who will speak about the August 2012 massacre at the Sikh temple in Oak Creek, during which he was shot 15 times during a gunfight with the suspect.

Last year, nearly 1,000 people attended the annual NASRO school safety conference. It offers attendees an opportunity to complete on-site NASRO training courses at no additional charge; receive in-service training; visit an exhibit hall with the latest in products, technologies and innovations; and interact with SROs, school administrators, sheriffs and chiefs of police from throughout the country and world. Available training includes NASRO's Basic SRO Course, ideal for law enforcement officers who are newly assigned to work in schools.

More information about the conference, including a complete agenda and online registration, is available at www.nasro.org/conference/ .