Oct 23, 2016 2 min read

State Police Commissioner Col. Tyree C. Blocker will be the keynote speaker at the ninth annual Homeland and International Security Conference Nov. 2 at the Performance Center inside the Natali Student Center at California University of Pennsylvania.

The theme for this year’s conference is “Human Security II: Building Community and Police Teams to Protect and Serve Our Citizens.”

Registration begins at 8 a.m. Admission is free.

The conference is presented by the Department of Criminal Justice at Cal U., in collaboration with the Mon Valley NAACP and the NAACP State Conference Criminal Justice Committee.

Conference speakers will explore current tensions between communities and police, and how these entities can work together more effectively.

Blocker, who commands Pennsylvania’s 4,500 state police troopers, is a 30-year veteran of the Pennsylvania State Police. Blocker will address “21st-Century Policing.”

Other speakers include:

• Dr. Mathilda Spencer, a sociology professor with decades of experience working with violent juvenile sex offenders and cases of domestic violence;

• Cody Santiago, Class of 2014, an emergency management professional who specializes in preparing schools and other public entities for emergencies.

• Dr. Hans Mumm, an author who has wide-ranging expertise in national security, homeland security and advanced technologies, including drones and unmanned aerial vehicles.

• Dr. Christopher Wydra, a retired City of Pittsburgh detective, part-time law enforcement officer and coordinator for the Cal U. global online bachelor of science in Criminal Justice: Homeland and International Security program.

For a complete conference schedule, visit www.calu.edu or email Dr. Michael Hummel at hummel@calu.edu.