There is time for Breaching the Barricade (BTB). To attend the annual conference in Elkhart, Indiana. The annual training conference will be held on this coming Friday, 4 October 2024. Each year, this premiere conference is uniquely focused on those working in policing, and preparing them to successfully overcome the challenges of the profession. And, yes, there is still time for our nation’s police officers to breach the barricades they face, as they advance their vital public safety mission. At the conference, Thomas Lemmer will be presenting the next installment of his continuing series on resilience.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Lemmer’s Presentation
The title of Lemmer’s 2024 BTB presentation is “Power and Redemption: Who are We?” The session is the third in the series.
“I’ve got the power,” is the central lyric in a song popular in the 1990s. America’s police officers are granted significant powers to carry out their duties. At the turn of the 19th Century Ambrose Bierce defined the police as “an armed force for protection and participation.” The primary purpose of the police is the protection of society. The police purpose also involves gaining participation from recalcitrant persons not in compliance with the law. The power to use force is central to understanding the fundamental police function.
All those who hold positions of authority must be mindful of the realities of both power and redemption. We live in a world that struggles with peace. Our communities have peace officers, police officers, because of this reality. Yet, more than any other reason, those who pursue a policing career seek to help others. At their best, our police officers protect the innocent, and they seek to bring peace. They can also help guide those who have wandered from peace back toward the path.
In Lemmer’s 2023 session “Embrace the Power of Truth,” he examined the truth of suffering and evil in this world. In this year’s session, he will further explore “who we are” as the police. Police officers have a sworn duty to directly confront evil. Every police officer also has the power to point the way toward redemption. In performing their law enforcement duties, our police officers have the opportunity to change minds and touch hearts. When we have the opportunity to help someone on their path to redemption, we should do so. Such is the True North of the policing mission.
BTB 2024 Schedule and Registration
Once again the BTB Conference is a day packed with a powerful speaker lineup. Each of the presenters is committed to encouraging and strengthening those working in the profession. The conference is spouse-welcoming, with breakout sessions that focus on the unique challenges police families face.
The Line-up
- Ken Valentine – Former Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Dignitary Protection Division, and the author of “Cheating Death.”
- Dr. Olivia Johnson – A national leader in the study of the issue of police suicide, and the founder of the Blue Wall Institute.
- Jim Bontrager – President of the International Conference of Police Chaplains, and the founder of the Warrior on the Wall organization, which each year hosts the annual BTB Conference and its companion Officer Appreciation Day the day after the conference.
- Thomas Lemmer – Former Chicago Police Department Deputy Chief, and Founder of Secure 1776 – Public Safety Professional Resource, LLC.
- Kyle Reyes – Law Enforcement communications expert and the owner of Law Enforcement Today, Blue Lives Matter, and the Police Tribune.
- Jason and Traci Davis – A veteran law enforcement couple and founders of How to Love our Cops, which focuses on the development of healthy marriages.
- Also Featuring – John Darge, Ken Bernard and Evan and Julie Sharpley.
Getting to the Conference
The conference will be held on 4 October 2024 at the Northern Indian Event Center, 21565 Executive Parkway in Elkhart, Indiana. The conference begins at 8:30 am and runs through 5:00 pm, with a provided lunch.
Register now at www.breachingthebarricade.org. Discounted hotel accommodations are available at the Middlebury Hampton Inn using code “FCPO.”
The Breaching the Barricade Conference is an uplifting event for all active and retired law enforcement members who remain committed to our nation’s communities and their profession.
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