The 17th annual Southern Illinois Criminal Justice Summit (SICJS) was held in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, on February 28 and March 1.
Approximately 340 criminal justice executives from federal, state, county, and local departments attended the two-day summit. The goal of the SICJS is to provide quality training to criminal justice executives in Southern Illinois.
The SICJS seeks out nationally recognized individuals, who are considered experts in their field, to present at the conference. The presenters cover current topics and trends that are important for today’s criminal justice executive and the agencies they represent. The SICJS also provides a great opportunity for attendees to network with those who are dealing with similar problems and concerns.
“The Southern Illinois Criminal Justice Summit provides the ideal venue for law enforcement leaders to expand their knowledge and stay up-to-date on current law enforcement trends,” stated Illinois State Police Director Leo P. Schmitz. “The Summit provides first-class presentations which enhance the ability of criminal justice executives to better lead their organization and improve community relations,” he continued.
The theme of this year’s summit was; Winning Back Your Community. Topics discussed include: Winning Back your Community; What Every Police Leader Needs to Know, Presented by the Dolan Consulting Group. Media Relations and Crisis Management, presented by retired FBI agent Ross Rice.
“The quality of the presenters and location of the summit is a boon to criminal justice agencies across Southern Illinois,” stated David H. Hayes, Director of the Southwestern Illinois Law Enforcement Commission and Chairman of the SICJS Committee. “The SICJS provides the same caliber of training offered in large cities at a fraction of the cost. This is a great benefit for criminal justice agencies that may not have the funds to regularly pay for such excellent training,” he continued.
The Southern Illinois Criminal Justice Summit Committee and Sponsors are: Edwardsville Police Department; Effingham County Coroner’s Office; Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police; Illinois Department of Children and Family Services; Illinois Department of Transportation; Illinois Department on Aging; Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System; Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board Executive Institute: Illinois State Police, Illinois State Police Command Officers’ Association; Mobile Training Units 13, 14, and 15; Southern Illinois Police Chiefs Association; St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department; St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office; Southwestern Illinois Law Enforcement Commission; and the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois.
