The International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association (ILEETA) Conference is without a doubt the best annual training event available for law enforcement instructors, and the 2023 ILEETA Conference and Expo, held on March 20–25, confirmed it beyond any reasonable doubt.

If you’re unfamiliar with ILEETA, it’s an organization that seeks to share knowledge and skills among its thousands of members to help us provide better instruction to those we serve. ILEETA exists to promote the exchange of knowledge and skills of trainers and educators. Members come from a diverse range of study and experience in both the private and public sectors. To qualify for membership, you must be involved in the delivery of education or training to the criminal justice community. This includes educators, trainers, authors or supervisors of criminal justice education or training.

Unlike some other organizations, they don’t seek today’s trendy practices or political favor. Instead, ILEETA is in search of better practices to continually evolve our profession. This is accomplished through networking, publications including the ILEETA Journal and Digest, weekly training updates, the ILEETA Learning Lab and the annual conference.

The ILEETA Conference and Expo is a gathering of the top law enforcement trainers from around the world. The caliber of instructors who present classes at the conference is second to none. As Commander Zach Zigterman of the Plainfield, Illinois, Police Department stated, “You would be hard-pressed to find a better opportunity for department trainers to learn new ideas, both through classroom instruction and informal networking, than at the ILEETA Conference.”

When you go to training, most classes run from 0800–1700 hours, with significant downtime between learning opportunities. That is nothing like the ILEETA Conference. There are nonstop training opportunities from the time you arrive to the time you leave to go home. In addition, the number of connections and opportunities available to members who attend the ILEETA Conference is incredible. There are training opportunities starting at 0800 hours and extending to however late you are willing to stay up.

Every year, the ILEETA Conference and Expo offers more than 150 classes and more than two dozen instructor certifications/armorer courses. Topics include use of force, officer survival, defensive tactics, instructor development, specialized training and firearms, including live-fire training opportunities. Attendees receive a certificate of attendance, conference bag, shirts and numerous other giveaways.

One of the great things about the ILEETA Conference is that most classes don’t require advance registration, so you get to choose what you want to attend. This includes the ability to make last-minute changes to your schedule, and believe me, there are always changes to your schedule. Oftentimes, classes you would have never thought to attend become the “can’t miss” class of the conference.

Certification, armorer and live-fire courses require advance registration as there are limits on class size, but most classes don’t require advance signup. In general, for the hands-on courses, you will want to bring suitable athletic attire and athletic shoes and/or a training uniform. Handcuffs, duty belt, dummy gun/knife, mouthguard and protective cup may also be advisable depending on the type of classes you plan on attending.

Most attendees arrive at the hotel Sunday afternoon before the official start of the conference. The first big event is a fundraiser for the Jessica and Kelli Uhl Memorial Foundation called Bourbon and Bites. This event includes food, a raffle that features bourbons from all over the United States and a silent auction. If you’re not familiar with Jessica and Kelli Uhl, please take note. On November 23, 2007, the sisters were killed by an officer traveling at an estimated 126 mph reportedly while using his mobile data computer (MDC) and talking on a cellphone. Their mother, Kim Schlau, works closely with Below 100 and travels around the country speaking with recruit classes and officers about the dangers of unnecessarily high-speed and distracted driving. A very important program and worthy cause.

ILEETA Executive Director Harvey Hedden starts things off Monday morning at the opening ceremonies addressing the logistics of navigating such a large event. The opening ceremony is always exciting because this is where the ILEETA Trainer of the Year is announced. Immediately after the opening ceremonies, classes begin and continue until noon on Saturday. If this sounds like a lot of training, it is. By the end of the week, everyone is exhausted and re-energized at the same time.

One of the highlights of the ILEETA Conference each year is the Emerson Hour. Ralph Waldo Emerson was known to greet friends with the question, “What has become clear to you since we last met?” Each Emerson Hour speaker has nine minutes to answer this question without the use of PowerPoint, video or any other visual aids. Participants are kept a secret with only the moderator, Joe Willis, aware of who will be speaking. Every year, the Emerson Hour seems to get better and better. Speakers always deliver emotional and thought-provoking presentations challenging each of us to be better and to focus on what is really important in our personal and professional lives.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the ILEETA Expo seems to take center stage. This is an amazing part of the conference experience, because it provides an opportunity for instructors to make connections with the people who supply our uniforms and equipment. All attendees should make time to visit the expo, because making contacts with these companies can benefit our officers, our departments and our training programs. It features 100-plus vendors showing off everything from firearms and firearm accessories to clothing, duty gear, training mats, higher education opportunities and interactive training simulators. There is so much to see, it is easy to lose track of time.

Every evening during the week, there is a special program aimed at providing training, as well as networking opportunities. For example, MILO and Virtual Academy co-sponsored a dinner that brought all attendees together in a central location. Late into the evening, groups of trainers could be seen discussing issues and trends and providing solutions to various problems. It’s an undeniable truth that there are no problems a department can face that another department has already faced and can provide a workable solution. It’s amazing how many of those solutions are found at the ILEETA Conference and Expo.

If you’re a trainer and want to attend the 2024 ILEETA Conference and Expo, how do you go about convincing your boss? I have a solution. It starts with a short memo reiterating what I’ve already written for you. But don’t stop there. Give your boss specific, actionable items that you’re going to accomplish while at the conference, including specific classes you’re going to attend and how those classes would benefit your department. Include any specific training needs your agency may have or is likely to have, citing specific incidents or issues.

Make sure you include the expo as an opportunity to speak with experts about new technology and techniques that can make your department more effective and assist in future budget planning. Specifically mention several of the companies that will be attending the expo and how meeting with their representatives would benefit your department.

Don’t forget to mention the networking opportunities with other trainers and the chance to learn from one another on ways to meet today’s law enforcement challenges. Lastly, make sure they know the ILEETA Conference and Expo is one of the most cost-effective training opportunities. When considering the variety of subjects offered, all in one place over the course of one week, the value is unrivaled.

If you’re a trainer who isn’t attending the ILEETA Conference and Expo, you’re doing yourself, your department and your students a disservice. When people ask me why I’m always excited to attend the ILEETA Conference, I tell them it’s like being the worst house in the best neighborhood. The 2023 ILEETA Conference was no exception. At the conference, I am simply a knuckle-dragging firearm instructor surrounded by some of the best and brightest trainers in law enforcement.

If it’s true that you are who you surround yourself with, hopefully some of the experience and wisdom of the ILEETA membership will rub off on me. There are nonstop training opportunities from the time you arrive at the hotel until it’s time to leave and go home. You will make lifelong connections in the classroom and in the hallways. If you’re a law enforcement instructor, you owe it to yourself, the people you train and your department to join ILEETA and attend the 2024 ILEETA Conference in St. Louis on March 18–23. The St. Louis Union Station Hotel already has rooms available for the conference, so the time to act is now. It will be another amazing event that changes the lives of the people we train.