Please join us for the 2019 PA Highway Safety Conference, April 9-12, 2019. We will be meeting at the Days Inn Penn State. Workshop sessions will cover a wide variety of topics, including officer safety, traffic safety case law, liquor laws, medical marijuana, behavioral modification techniques, unique partnerships, media communication, education and enforcement collaborative methods, and much more.
Hotel reservation, parking, and Grantee reimbursement information is located on the "Get There" page.
**A formal agenda will be provided to registered participants prior to the conference**
2019 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE (TENTATIVE)
**Please continue to check back for updates**
TUESDAY, APRIL 9
8:30 am - 5:00 pm Registration Table Open
9:00 am – 4:30 pm PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS 1, 2 & 3 (Pre-Registration Required)
#1 9:00 am – 4:30 pm OFFICER SAFETY: PRECURSORS TO ASSAULTIVE BEHAVIOR (6 MPOETC Credits) This workshop focuses on the precursors to violence and assault towards police officers. Jim Gregg will discuss the techniques to recognize verbal and non-verbal cues/gestures that indicate possible violence. Participants will be exposed to a subject's ulterior motives and deceptive techniques by seeing cases involving actual police footage of attacks. Common mistakes that officers make will be discussed and the tactics to overcome and recognize these clues will be shared.
** Attending municipal officers are eligible for 6 MPOETC credits. **
#2 9:30 am - 11:30 am CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY INSTRUCTOR MEETING Courtney Barry from Chicco and Allan Buchanan from Bubble Bum will provide currently available updates for the revised CPS Certification curriculum. Instructors will have an opportunity to discuss and share techniques and challenges that occur before, during, and after the CPS certification class.
** Attendees will meet the CPS Community Education recertification requirement **
#3 12:30 pm - 4:30 pm CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY TECHNICAL UPDATE (4 CPS CEUs) Courtney Barry from Chicco and Allan Buchanan from Bubble Bum will present a Child Passenger Safety Technical Update on the following topics:
- CPS Manufacturer Update or Manufacturers Alliance for CPS Harmonized Statements
- Top 10 List
- Manual Challenge
- CPS Jeopardy
** A certificate will be provided as proof of attendance. Attendees who are eligible for CEUs should provide their CPS Technician number during registration. **
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10
7:30 am – 2:30 pm Registration Table Open
7:30 am – 9:00 am Continental Breakfast
9:00 am – 10:30 am OPENING SESSION
Join the Pennsylvania Highway Safety Office for the Presentation of the Colors and the National Anthem. NHTSA Region 2 Program Manager Francisco Gomez and PennDOT Deputy Secretary for Highway Administration George McAuley will provide their opening remarks followed by our Keynote Speaker, Bruce Christopher.
ARE WE HAVING FUN YET?: ATTITUDE AND PEAK PERFORMANCE The most important thing about you is your attitude. Studies have shown that people with a positive attitude get sick less often, have better relationships, and are more successful in their careers. Attitude is contagious, and it helps to create an energized work and home environment. We would all like to have a positive attitude. In this session – that mixes humor with education – you will learn the power of a positive attitude and the secrets only optimists know!
10:30 am - 10:45 am Morning Break
10:45 am – 12:00 pm GENERAL SESSION
POWER OF PERCEPTION Our perceptions form the foundation of what we call reality. In our relationships with people, our perceptions about others and ourselves can often create illusions that hinder success, productivity, and performance level. How we perceive our co-workers, teammates, and all the people around us has a profound impact on their morale, motivation, and accomplishment. Bruce Christopher uses an interactive combination of case studies, videos, and discussion to help participants position their perceptions in ways which lead to success.
12:00 pm – 1:15 pm Lunch
1:15 pm – 2:30 pm WORKSHOPS 1 & 2
#1 UNIQUE COLLABORATIONS: NOT YOUR USUAL SUSPECTS This workshop will motivate you to think outside the box, to look beyond your usual partnerships, and to encourage you to seek out new and creative resources. The presenters will offer innovative techniques to introduce topics that are often outside the comfort zones of both traffic safety advocates and their target audiences.
#2 CASE LAW UPDATE: DUI & GENERAL TRAFFIC SAFETY Ashley Goshert, TSRP, will provide an up-to-date review of the newest case law and legislation passed or implemented in the last year affecting traffic safety. The workshop will include a review of major appellate decisions and legislative changes affecting traffic law, impaired driving, and vehicle search and seizure, as well as discussions related to the practical effects these appellate decisions and legislative changes have on traffic safety enforcement and prosecution.
2:30 pm – 2:45 pm Afternoon Break
2:45 pm – 4:00 pm WORKSHOPS 3 & 4
#3 PA LIQUOR LAWS & ENFORCEMENT CHALLENGES Todd Merlina will provide an overview of the current laws that can be used to bring Liquor Licenses and the general public into compliance. The Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Enforcement focuses on “Quality of Life” issues. By sharing the Bureau's mission and enforcement effort, and by educating other law enforcement agencies on the laws, trends, and challenges in dealing with the alcohol industry we can be more effective in making our communities smarter and safer.
#4 BEHAVIOR CHANGE ON A GRAND SCALE: CHALLENGES, PITFALLS, AND SUCCESSES Dr. Martin Petrillo, PhD, ABPP, will explore the processes of initiating behavior change among the population at large, with focus on areas of positive influence while also identifying areas of minimal gain.
4:30 pm – 6:30 pm NETWORKING SESSION
Join us for an evening of networking and entertainment. Sign-up to play, or just come to support your colleagues as they compete in a friendly, fun game of Traffic Safety Family Feud! Light refreshments will be provided, and a cash bar will be available.
THURSDAY, APRIL 11
7:30 am – 1:15 pm Registration Table Open
7:30 am – 8:30 am Continental Breakfast
8:30 am – 10:00 am GENERAL SESSION
POWERING THROUGH Judge John Kennedy (ret.) will challenge the audience to look at the system they deal with and examine how they can improve those systems. He will identify challenges in enforcement, prosecution, sentencing, and treatment, and will examine how the new DUI law addresses issues and where it can be improved. He will also briefly discuss how evidence-based practices work and can make an actual difference.
RECOGNITION CEREMONY: HEROES OF TRAFFIC SAFETY Annually, the Pennsylvania Highway Safety Office recognizes outstanding individuals, groups, and projects in our traffic safety network. These award recipients, nominated by their peers, will be honored for their efforts that exemplify extraordinary commitments to traffic safety and realizing the collective goal of zero deaths.
10:00 am – 10:15 am Morning Break
10:15 am – 12:00 pm WORKSHOPS 5 & 6
#5 COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY WITH THE MEDIA
Communicating effectively with the media can sometimes be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be! Commonwealth Media Services will provide general media training and promotional advice through an interactive session.
PennDOT will moderate, and participants will leave feeling more comfortable in a range of different situations including: interview skills, being on camera, and communicating with the media or on social platforms. This session will contain mock interview opportunities which will be played back as a case study. Volunteer interviewees will be provided the questions ahead of time, and discussion will be all in good fun. Additional resources include: a fact sheet and PowerPoint presentation.
#6 DRUG RECOGNITION EXPERTS: A VALUABLE ENFORCEMENT TOOL The mission of this workshop is to provide valuable insight into the DRE program. Dave Andrascik will provide officers with the necessary detection tools to determine when to call a DRE for assistance. In addition, there will be updates for those DREs who are currently certified and information for non-DREs who are interested in training.
12:00 pm – 1:15 pm Lunch
1:15 pm – 2:30 pm WORKSHOPS 7 & 8
#7 AN UNTAPPED RESOURCE: THE YOUTH OFFENDER TURNED ADVOCATE This workshop will introduce the audience to two young men who were teenagers when they took the life of a loved one (in two separate incidences) while they were behind the wheel. You’ll learn the process of locating these offenders, how to develop an intense vetting process, techniques in assisting the offender to recognize their accountability, and how to transform fatal mistakes into teachable moments.
#8 MEDICAL MARIJUANA: NEW ENFORCEMENT CHALLENGES ON THE HORIZON With the advent of medical marijuana in Pennsylvania in 2016, law enforcement officers are facing a new set of challenges in regards to impaired driving and drug law enforcement. Craig Amos examines these challenges, gives a history of the drug, explores the new forms and extracts of marijuana, and looks at the new law itself. Law enforcement officers will come away with a basic understanding of the new law as well as an understanding of the drug and how it is currently being used and abused. The workshop also presents roadside strategies and techniques for determining unlawful activity (in regards to the new law) and impairment.
2:30 pm – 2:45 pm Afternoon Break
2:45 pm – 4:00 pm GENERAL SESSION
TECH UPDATES: PCIT & DOTGRANTS 2.0 The Highway Safety Office is excited to announce new features in the Pennsylvania Crash Information Tool (PCIT) and a long-awaited update to the dotGrants reporting system. Please join us as Bob Ranieri, PennDOT’s Crash Program Manager, provides a PCIT demonstration, introduces a new restricted access section for police departments, and solicits input for future releases of restricted access sections of the PCIT website for both law enforcement agencies and the rest of the grant network. Additionally, with the pending release of dotGrants 2.0 scheduled for May 2019, an overview of the updated features and streamlined design will be presented.
FRIDAY, APRIL 12
7:30 am – 8:30 am Continental Breakfast
8:30 am – 12:30 pm POST-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS 1 & 2 (Pre-Registration Required)
#1 STOP THE BLEED The Bleeding Control Basic (BCon) Course v. 1.0 is designed for individuals who have little or no medical training but who may be called upon as immediate responders to provide initial trauma care and bleeding control to a victim of traumatic injury prior to the arrival of emergency medical services (EMS) or in an austere environment.
#2 OLDER DRIVER TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT TRAINING (3 MPOETC Credits) Bob Schaeffer will provide law enforcement officers with the tools to understand and address issues that are relevant to older drivers (65+).
This 3-hour training program provides:
- Insight into the aging process
- Communication techniques and guidance on vehicle stops
- Information on the PA driver referral process
- Tips to identify at-risk drivers
- A discussion on appropriate enforcement action
- Suggestions on effective community interaction
** This course is certified through MPOETC for 3 CLEE credits. **
Additional questions or requests should be directed to PennDOT Regional Program Managers or Emily Bremer at 717-787-3656 ([email protected]).