The founder of Secure 1776, Thomas Lemmer, will once again be presenting at the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police (ILACP) Annual Conference. This year the conference will be held on April 29th through May 1st at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield, Illinois. This is the sixth annual ILACP annual conference at which Lemmer will have presented. This year his presentation will be “Iron Sharpens Iron: Gratitude in the Face of Adversity.” This course expands the exploration of his Gratitude Leading Leadership Model. The extent to which a police agency is able to meet its mission is impacted by the extent to which it is an environment that embraces gratitude. This truth is must evident when we truly acknowledge the reality of adversity in the world in which we ask our police officers to perform their duties. [Click the link to read more | 21 Apr 2026]
As a culture, those of us blessed to be living in the United States of America are in the midst of our most intense giving season of the year. Annually, the holiday season from Thanksgiving through the end of the year brings amazing levels of charitable giving. According to a nonprofit marketing resource, 30% of all annual charitable giving occurs in the month of December. Additionally, each Christmas, traditional gift giving is significant. From 1992–2024, Americans spent 19% more in December than the next highest month (November). Holiday gift buying was a key factor. But among the greatest gifts we receive is not one found wrapped under the tree. It is the far more enduring gift of faith in policing. [Click the link to read more | 24 Dec 2025]
In the midst of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln reminded the nation that there was much of which to be grateful. He issued a thanksgiving proclamation to his countrymen in October 1863. He asked his fellow Americans to “observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.” The need for a sincere focus and reminder to be grateful remains. Moreover, we need to be grateful for far more than one day each year. Such is true in the nation in general, and with respect to leadership within the police profession. [Click the link to read more | 27 Nov 2025]
On 16 December 2025, the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board (ILETSB) Executive Institute will again be hosting training developed by Thomas Lemmer. The upcoming event is part of the institute’s 2025 Live Webinar Series. Lemmer will be providing a special presentation of his Gratitude Leading Leadership course. The two-hour webinar will provide clarity on the importance of intentional gratitude. The cost of this webinar is being covered by the state training board for Illinois law enforcement personnel. The course is certified by the ILETSB for 2 hours of credit under the Procedural Justice law enforcement training mandate.[Click the link to read more | 7 Nov 2025]
Thomas Lemmer has been invited to return to the Breaching the Barricade Conference (BTB) for an unprecedented fifth year. Each year, this premiere conference is uniquely focused on building resilience in meeting the challenges of the policing profession. This year, Lemmer will be presenting four sessions on gratitude, adversity, truth, and the importance of being proactive in policing. The full-day conference will be held on Friday, 3 October 2025 at the Farmstead Inn and Conference Center in Shipshewana, Indiana. [Click the link to read more | 9 Sep 2025]
