LOUISIANA ASSOCIATION OF CRISIS NEGOTIATORS (LACN)
MINUTES FROM EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING
ON JULY 31, 2008
HELD AT LOUISIANA STATE POLICE TROOP C SQUAD ROOM
Meeting began at 1000 hours
The following members were present for the meeting: Tracy Morgan (President), Craig Rhodes (Secretary), Lafate Day (Treasurer), JR Rogers (Region 2 Director), Rodney Hyatt (Region 3 Director) and Natalie Taylor (Region 6 Director).
The following members were not present for the meeting as well as why:
Walter Powers (Vice President) attending FOP Conference out of state
Robert Guilbeaux (Past President) on vacation out of state
Robert Helton (Sgt. at Arms & Region 5 Director) work related
Earnest Bristol (Executive Director) work related
Aaron Hebert (Region 1 Director) no contact
Darek Ardoin (Region 4 Director) no contact
Rachel Alkire (Region 7 Director) no contact
Joe Pisano (Region 8 Director) work related
Thomas Martin (Region 9 Director) no contact
Thomas Cope (2009 Conference Chairman) on vacation out of state
Old Business
Conference 2008 by Tracy Morgan.
All bills related to 2008 conference have been paid. The total bill to LACN was $7416.00. The total cost for operating the hospitality room was $1257.00. We also agreed that we will have tighter controls on hospitality room to prevent large amounts of beverages from leaving room. Morgan proposed the question if the membership preferred three day or four day event. Rogers said he believed most of the membership liked the four day event more. Everyone present for the meeting agreed that the Tactical Officers Day during the conference was a success. We all agreed that we will continue to have the Tactical Officers Day in future conferences.
Bank Reports
-Morgan discussed bank account. We currently have $10,300.00 in our account.
-Rhodes informed members present that the address for the bank account has been changed to P.O. Box 3700 in Houma, LA 70361. We have not received monthly statements at the new address yet.
FAHN Conference
-Morgan said that he and Robert Gilbeaux attended the National Conference of Negotiations Association (NCNA) which was held at the Florida Association of Hostage Negotiators Conference in Cocoa Beach, FL in June, 2008.
-Morgan said that the FAHN Conference cost LACN $925.00.
-Rhodes turned over FAHN receipts to Lafate Day.
New Business
Forty Hour Basic
-Rhodes discussed the Forty Hour Basic Crisis Negotiators Course held in Lafayette in May, 2008
-Rogers said his department, Gretna P/D, is hosting a FBI taught Crisis Negotiations Course in September, 2008. He has not been told the course content or the name of the course other that it will be a four day course held sometime in September. He will try to gather more information and then notify the membership.
-Morgan advised the board that Walter Powers and NOPD would like to host a 40 hour basic in the New Orleans area some time this fall. The date and location has not been determined.
-Morgan, Rhodes and Rogers all said that State Police has seven new negotiators and Gretna P/D would like to send three. We also learned that ICE would like to send eight negotiators to another class and that NASA will send an unknown number to the next class.
-Rhodes informed membership about problems with non-law enforcement persons trying to get into last 40 Hour Basic. Rogers made the suggestion that future registration forms have either a qualifications portion or a “recommended by” portion.
Training Reports
-Rhodes reminded membership to submit training reports, e-mailed to regional directors in June, 2008, whenever they perform some type of LACN sponsored training. He passed a completed form to everyone as an example.
-Rhodes asked that completed forms be e-mailed to him for filing purposes. He said that the form will only be used for regional training and not for conferences, basic courses etc. There will be a separate tracking system for these classes.
Corrections, Dispatcher and First Responder Courses
-Rodney Hyatt said he is almost finished with developing an eight hour block of instructions for Dispatchers, date and location to be determined. He said he is trying to find some additional real-life situations to add to the course. Day and Taylor both volunteered to check with their departments to share any materiel they may have.
-Morgan said that Bristol is developing an eight hour block of instructions for Correctional Officers in Alexandria, date to be determined. Taylor said that Jackson Parish is building a new correctional facility which will have a large increase in the number of the correctional employees. She will approach Jackson S/O to offer LACN’s help in training their new employees.
-Day and Taylor would like to get a copy of Crisis Negotiations for the First Responder. Rhodes agreed to e-mail them both a copy.
Conference 2009
-The dates will be March 11-13, 2009 at the Quality Inn in Houma, LA
-Morgan said that Bobby Smith has already committed to speaking on the last day of the conference.
-Morgan said that the tentative schedule of events will be:
March 10, 2009 will be a meeting of the Executive Board as well as setup.
March 11, 2009 will be lecture and debriefs.
March 12, 2009 will be Tactical Officers Day, break out and scenarios
March 13, 2009 will be LACN business meeting and Bobby Smith lecture.
-Morgan said that we will send out a donation letter in January, 2009 to use in soliciting donations for the conference. Day and Hyatt both said that they have contacts with
Wal-Mart Stores that will help with donations.
-Rogers said that he would like to add an Active Listening Skills class on the same day as the scenarios as an alternative.
-Morgan said that the registration fee for the conference will be $150.00 and $175.00 for late registration.
-Morgan said that Bristol will be the scenario coordinator for the conference and will find role-players for the scenarios.
-Taylor agreed to perform debrief on barricaded incident from Lincoln Parish.
The meeting then relocated to the Quality Inn in Houma, LA for a tour of the facility and signing of contracts. Morgan signed the contract for the hotel and rooms. A separate contract will be signed at a later date for the food services.
Meeting adjourned at 1400 hours.
End of minutes
Craig Rhodes, Secretary
