Sunday
Like many of America's biggest cities, arriving on a weekend can give you a false impression of the town's vitality--nearly all of the offices and businesses are closed, leaving the downtown streets to a few shoppers, the homeless and those carrying the give-away APCO briefcases. Of course, the suburbs are buzzing, and Monday will bring a rush of office workers and others into the city.
Registration on Saturday and Sunday not only takes care of the formalities, but it brings together persons who have forged friendships at past conferences, and who use the time together to catch up, trade war stories and have a good time. Standing at the registration desk is like watching an airport arrival--persons hugging, shaking hands and welcoming each other.
I hope you took the shuttle in from the airport and nixed the rental car--parking in a hotel lot could be $13 a night! You'll also have to pick your restaurants carefully. The Ichiban restaurant could set you back $40 and up per person, but the entertaining chef (slicing and dicing) helps justify the expense in your mind, but not on your expense account.
APCO Conference Starts Tomorrow
Telecommunicator of the Year Award Announced
First Word on Columbine High School Shootings?
Debate Begins On Fate of "APCO Bulletin" Title
by Gary Allen, Editor
Perfect weather greeted thousands of attendees at the registration desk for the 1999 annual conference of the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) in Minneapolis. The meeting brings together the public safety communications professionals from jurisdictions and companies from all 50 states and several foreign countries, to share experiences from the past year and learn the latest news about technology, personnel management, training and 911.
This 65th annual conference includes over 230 companies filling over 600 booths with the latest in computer software, 911 and radio equipment, and services for all aspects of public safety communications. "There simply is no better opportunity for you to compare products and learn about various services," said out-going APCO president Jack Keating in the conference guide.
In addition, there are 96 seminars scheduled for the four-day conference,
hosted either by the employees of companies exhibiting at the conference,
or members who work in comm centers. Among the seminars is one on planning
for critical incidents by Cindy Cline, a dispatch supervisor at the Jefferson
County (Colo.) sheriff's office, who had primary responsibility at the Columbine
High School shooting incident. While we 
don't expect
Cline to discuss the incident specifically, we'll attend the Thursday, 2:15
p.m. session and report on what Cline has to say.
Strangely, the opening day ceremonies are divided into two sessions, rather than a single luncheon as in previous years. The first session begins at 10 a.m. Monday, and includes an appearance by Fox TV's John Walsh, and the association's 1999 awards---Telecommunicator of the Year Award will be given to Tracy Vail (right), and other awards will be given to Barry M. Mogil (Comm Center Director of the Year), Sue Fallon (Line Supervisor of the Year) and Frank L. Sparks (Technician of the Year). A display adjacent to the registration area pictured all of the recipients, along with photos of the "Heroes" singled out each month in APCO's magazine.
The Opening Luncheon then begins at noon and includes the Keynote Address by Col. Ann Beers of the Minnesota State Patrol, and APCO speakers.
In a rare show of political opinion among APCO members, there were several
persons wearing white "Save The APCO Bulletin" polo shirts walking
among the crowd in the registration area. One of those persons, Dave 
Swan, said he was a member of the Illinois Chapter of APCO, which has
formally opposed Resolution 6. That measure would amend the association's
Bylaws to eliminate certain references to the "APCO Bulletin"
name. Although the Bylaw hasn't been officially explained, it apparently
would allow the association to continue using the title "Public Safety
Communications" for the group's monthly magazine, rather than "APCO
Bulletin." As of Sunday night, there was word the APCO Executive Council
might amend the resolution before it's presented to the members for voting.
We'll follow the debate and report on the voting results.
Downtown Minneapolis is a quiet city on the weekends--most people live in the suburbs and head for the Mall of America for their shopping needs. The city is a mix of architecture--old and new side-by-side, and sometimes not in a good way. A series of Skyways connects scores of office buildings and stores, keeping pedestrians cool in summer and warm in winter. But the city has developed Nicollet Street into a pedestrian-only mall that meanders from the Convention Center to the Mississippi River, where giant barges by-pass the Falls of St. Anthony's by taking a canal (it rises and falls 50 feet). Across the river in the Warehouse District, restaurants cater to visitors and a pleasant riverside park allows bikers, joggers and readers to enjoy the city skyline.
copyright 1999, Allen Media