November 2026 | Washington State Crime Prevention Association

12 Nov 2026

48th Annual Crime Prevention & Community Engagement Conference

Advancing Prevention Through Partnerships

Icicle Village Resort | Leavenworth, Washington October 26th–28th, 2026

The Washington State Crime Prevention Association's 48th Annual Crime Prevention & Community Engagement Conference brought together an outstanding group of 80 professionals, community partners, law enforcement leaders, presenters, exhibitors, and advocates who share a commitment to building safer, stronger communities.

Whether you joined us in beautiful Leavenworth or experienced a serious case of FOMO, we are excited to share a glimpse of the important conversations, innovative ideas, and valuable topics featured throughout this year's conference.

Our theme, Advancing Prevention Through Partnerships, reﬂects something we know to be true: meaningful crime prevention doesn't happen in isolation. It takes collaboration, creativity, commitment, and people willing to work together to make a difference.

Monday, October 26th | Setting the Stage

The conference kicked off with a warm welcome to Leavenworth from Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison, followed by an engaging keynote from Detective Jason White of Tulsa Police Department: The First 48, Beyond Homicide.

The afternoon continued with presentations. Highlights Included:

Salvation Army's Street Level Program – Tina Lewis and Patti Yates shared insights into community-based outreach and engagement focusing on those underserved individuals living in their vehicle.
Problem Solving Case Study: Phoenix Court Apartments – Detective Eric Steffes of Kent PD and Prosecutor Victoria Robben of the City of Kent shared their collaborative approach in addressing a complex community challenge which resulted in a successful transformation of a problem property.
Presenting Sponsor Spotlight: CEIA USA – Airin Tatum and Ben Elliot of Entry Shield highlighted partnerships and solutions supporting safer environments.

A Special Evening of Celebration!

Cheers to 50 Years! Fifty years of prevention, partnerships, and making a difference deserves a celebration! Decked out in gold and black, we raised our champagne glasses for a sparkling toast to 50 incredible years of the Washington State Crime Prevention Association.

The celebration didn't stop with the champagne! Our silent auction brought a little friendly competition and plenty of excitement, featuring an incredible collection of generously donated items, unique experiences, and must-have treasures. From amazing ﬁnds to unforgettable experiences, there was something to catch everyone's eye. Thank you to all the bidders for your generous support!

Networking. Our reception also included an opportunity for vendors and exhibitors to showcase their products, services, and support. It was the perfect opportunity to mix a little networking with some fun, explore innovative resources, and connect with industry partners.

Celebrating Excellence – 2026 Annual Awards! A WSCPA celebration wouldn't be complete without recognizing the incredible people who make our association and our communities stronger! Please join us in congratulating our 2026 award winners!

2026 Award Recipients

Volunteer of the Year Award: Mike Wakeﬁeld, Renton PD
Crime Prevention Practitioner of the Year: Joseph Elenbaas, Seattle PD
Outstanding Crime Prevention & Community Engagement Award: Michelle Bart, National Women's Coalition Against Violence & Exploitation
President's Award: Viki Aleksandruk, Redmond PD
Lifetime Achievement Award: Trina Cook, Tukwila PD

Tuesday · Prevention in Action

Highlights included:

CPTED Principles in Counterterrorism & Infrastructure Protection – Straight from New York City - we were honored to welcome NYPD Detective Gregg Pingitore and Officer Thomas Bartlett to the beauty of Washington State in the Fall. These outstanding professionals brought a wealth of knowledge, real-world experience, and fresh perspectives to our conference. Their willingness to travel across the country to share their expertise made this an especially memorable opportunity for our attendees.
FIFA World Cup Debrief: Experiences & Lessons Learned – A panel discussion, lead by Captain Dan Nelson of Seattle PD and CISA Advisor Jeffrey Johnson, explored experiences and insights from major-event planning and public safety coordination.
Stopping Organized Sextortion Before Children Are in Crisis – Joanna Wiggum of Countervail Intelligence addressed the importance of recognizing and preventing online exploitation before it escalates.
Auburn PD Downtown Response Model – Creating a cleaner, safer, and more welcoming downtown doesn't happen with one agency or one group working alone—it takes a team! Officers Aaron Williams and Dillan Claire shared Auburn PD's approach to downtown response and community safety. This presentation highlighted the power of collaboration; bringing together agencies, organizations, and community stakeholders to address downtown challenges and create meaningful change. A great reminder that when everyone has a seat at the table, great things can happen!
Rethinking Community Engagement – Stephanie Hynes of Renton PD shared a practical framework for developing meaningful, community-focused programs and events that bring people together and build lasting connections. Drawing from her extensive experience creating and organizing successful community events, Stephanie offered valuable insights, real-world examples, and ideas for turning creative concepts into engaging opportunities.
Protecting and Preserving the Innocence of Children – Brea Burnett and Brian Burnett of The Innocent brought together two powerful perspectives, combining Brian’s experience as a retired Chelan County Sheriff with Brea’s personal lived experience to shine a light on the critical issues of child sex trafficking, exploitation, and sexual assault.

Wednesday · Looking Ahead

Highlights included:

Artiﬁcial Intelligence & the Future of Crime Prevention - Artiﬁcial Intelligence is rapidly changing the landscape of crime, public safety, and crime prevention—and this panel tackled the big questions! Captain Dan Nelson (Seattle PD), Detective Matt Torok (Lynden PD), Crystal Leatherman (VP of Government Affairs for the Washington Retail Association) and Derek Liddell (Microsoft Project Manager “Responsible AI”) brought their knowledge and expertise to the table for an engaging, thought-provoking discussion.
Preparing for the Unexpected - CRASE: Citizen Responses to Active Shooter Events - Officer Erik Magnusson of Wenatchee PD shared important information on CRASE, providing valuable insight into how individuals and communities can better prepare for critical incidents. This presentation reinforced the importance of awareness, preparedness, and knowing how to respond when seconds matter.
Wrap Up - The Annual Association Membership Meeting was conducted, giving members an update on Association accomplishments, business, and a look ahead at what's next for WSCPA.
And, of course, we couldn't end without a little fun! Our raffle drawing included dozens of fantastic prizes ﬁnding their way to some very lucky winners! A HUGE thank-you to the individuals, businesses, and organizations who generously donated raffle prizes that helped us thank our attendees and participants.
Thank you to everyone who attended, presented, volunteered, sponsored, donated, and helped make this year's conference such a success. Your time, energy, and commitment are what keep this association moving forward!

Coming Up

Crime Prevention Thursday - On Nov. 19th at 11 a.m., we will hear from retired Bellingham Police Officer Carr Lanham, the Target Zero Manager for Whatcom, Skagit, Island, and San Juan counties. Join us to learn more about the various Target Zero Programs, including Teen Target Zero and Teens in the Driver Seat. To register for this and future Crime Prevention Thursday sessions, please register here.

Have ideas for future Crime Prevention Thursday topics? Please let us know! We want to provide topics that interest you and help you grow professionally. Email us at info@wscpa.net.

Training - Save the Date! Join us March 8th – 10th at the Renton Police Department for our next Basic Crime Prevention and Community Engagement Course! Registration link coming soon. Check out the general outline for the course here.

Don’t forget to like and follow us on our Facebook page! Also connect with us via LinkedIn!

LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST! Start stretching those creative muscles and warming up those competitive spirits… because Battle of the Badges is right around the corner! It's time to rally your team, unleash your hidden talents (yes, we know you have some!), and bring your A-game. The stakes are high, the competition is ﬁerce, and the glory is priceless. May the best badge win!