Go West Young Man
- By Ralph C. Jensen
- Aug 01, 2011
The misquote became so popular that a 1936 movie, starring none other than Mae West and Randolph Scott, used the first part as its title.
I bring this up because we’re going west in November, and I hope you will join our staff from Network-Centric Security at GovSec West.
GovSec has been held in Washington, D.C., for many years, and though it struggled under previous ownership, its course has been clarified, as our parent company, 1105 Media Inc., bought its rights. Now it’s time to bring this show out West.
This government security conference and expo will be held in Phoenix on Nov. 14-16, at the Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort. It is a beautiful area not far from Sky Harbor International Airport, and it is located on or near what I remember being called South Mountain.
GovSec West conference and expo will provide relevant and timely insights, tools and tactics to anticipate, prepare for, prevent and respond to terrorism, accidental and natural disasters, and attacks on critical infrastructure.
It is our goal to help you take a comprehensive approach to securing our nation, and that includes helping federal, state and local security professionals learn new techniques and strategies for critical infrastructure protection, border and physical security, preventing domestic and international terrorism, and protection against cybercrime and cyberterrorism. GovSec West will bring to you decisionmakers from the military, federal and civilian agencies and departments, state and local emergency response officials, and various law enforcement officials.
The event begins Monday, Nov. 14, with workshops and a lunch, with exhibits and education tracks on Tuesday and Wednesday. The setting for the conference and education series is small and intimate, all the better for attendees who truly have a desire to learn.
Our keynote speaker for opening day is Nick Stein, series producer of “Border Wars,” a National Geographic television series. The series follows the agents who protect the 2,000-mile-long U.S./Mexico border against smuggling, terrorism and illegal immigration. I’m sure Stein has some incredible stories he might share with the audience as he revs up GovSec West attendees.
Keynoting on the second day is Alan T. Mather, a good friend and security office chief, central operations directorate at NASA’s Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. Mather will speak on securing a critical infrastructure. There’s nothing more alluring and intriguing than space flight. Security plays a key role at NASA as it does anywhere else, but in this case, it will be a treat to hear what Mather has to say about it.
The syllabus for the education track demonstrates our commitment to bringing the best speakers and programs to conference attendees, with classes that include “Using Social Media to Protect Critical Infrastructure” and “Creating a Comprehensive Emergency Management and Mass Notification System.”
Another track on terrorism will feature a session on “The Economic Strategy of Jihad,” presented by Daveed Gartenstein- Ross, the director of the Center for the Study of Terrorist Radicalization. Though Osama bin Laden’s death was a significant blow to al Qaeda, it did not signal the end of our fight against jihadi terrorism. In fact, despite his death, the United States will continue to fight bin Laden’s strategy for years to come. This session explores how bin Laden’s strategy for defeating America was economic from the very outset—an outlook forged by his experiences fighting against Russia during the Afghan-Soviet war—and was far more successful than most observers would like to admit.
We’ll also have a focus on “Issues in Domestic Terrorism Threats from Drug Trafficking Organizations and Terror Networks” by Dr. Paul Chabot, president and CEO of Chabot Strategies. The increasing worldwide violence from sophisticated drug trafficking organizations, terror networks and criminal enterprises portends significant threats to homeland security. To counter these threats and both the predictable and unpredictable negative consequences, authorities must stress future planning, outsidethe- box thinking, integration, cooperation among our partners and a detailed understanding of what our country and others worldwide face.
A two-day session exploring border security challenges will have speakers addressing such topics as “Enhanced Security Operations with New and Emerging Technologies” and “The Southwest Border Crisis—The Need for Cooperation.” Maj. Michael Orose of the Arizona Department of Public Safety will talk about how interagency cooperation along the U.S.-Mexico border has improved border security.
Law enforcement on the federal, state, tribal and local levels can leverage their unique missions, capabilities and jurisdictions. Regular, transparent and proactive communication creates a unified, effective approach to border security, which this session will make apparent.
And finally, the Network-Centric Security track will feature a case study on successful implementation of a high-definition megapixel camera system in a prison facility. Capt. David Baisden of the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office will discuss how the office installed a 138-camera, fixed-megapixel system in its facility at the recommendation of the Justice Department’s Office of Civil Rights. Prior to the installation of this new system, the old system cameras were never in the right place when altercations broke out or caught only a portion of the altercations. Investigations took days, weeks or were inconclusive. In the first 30 days after installation, investigative time was reduced to minutes and the sheriff’s office saved millions in future frivolous tort claims. This session will examine the planning, installation and implementation of the system, which can be a model for other public safety agencies.
I hope you’ll join us for this spectacular three-day event. There will be a tradeshow floor with product exhibits, and, my favorite, a luncheon and dessert on the show floor. It’s a great time to be involved in the security industry and to be linked to government enterprise solutions. Mark it on your calendar— Nov. 14-16, in Phoenix.
This article originally appeared in the August 2011 issue of Network-Centric Security.
About the Author
Ralph C. Jensen is editor-in-chief of Security Products magazine.