Conference Time!

 It's Conference Time!

Well another year has passed and once again we have gathered together to share our knowledge and experience with the FTO world. This years conference is a great one. The Arizona Chapter of NAFTO has done a tremendous job planning this event, and we would like to take this opportunity to thank them for a job well done.

This year we are at the Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino in Chandler Arizona. Chandler is just south of Phoenix and while the weather is hot the hotel is very nice and the pool helps break up the heat of the day. The venue is very nice with spacious comfortable meeting rooms.

The conference kicked off with a bang and this morning the colors were presented by a combination of local and tribal police agencies. Chief Sherry Kiyler of the Chandler Police Department, Assistant Chief Kirk Fitch of the Maricopa Police Department, and Deputy Chief Valerie Bribiescas of the Gila River Indiana Community Police welcomed all of the attendees and really set the stage for what is going to be a great conference.

Ray Sandoval started the morning with a session of the PTO model of field training. This program developed off of the Reno/COPs model and was very well received. Members of the Mesa Arizona Police Department did a session on Managing the FTO program which has been in much demand.

A tremendous lunch was provided for the attendees by NAFTO and then the entire session came together for Jeremy Yonce's session on FTO scenarios. Jeremy first taught this session in Denver last year and it was so well received that we brought him back again.

Tonight dinner will be up to the attendees and a hospitality room will be provided where valuable networking will occur. As usual the conference is a great success.