MSP Hosts Annual New England Women in Law Enforcement Conference

The Massachusetts State Police were honored to host the annual NESPAC Women in Law Enforcement Conference last week at Patriot Place in Foxborough. We are extremely grateful for all the members of our own Department and those of our partner agencies -- the Rhode Island State Police, New Hampshire State Police, Maine State Police, Vermont State Police, and Connecticut State Police -- who who planned, organized, and attended this fabulous event. And of course, we are deeply thankful to Patriot Place, Gillette Stadium, and the Kraft Group for being great hosts to this gathering of remarkable police officers from across the region.

MSP Colonel John Mawn provided welcoming remarks, as did Rhode Island State Police Colonel Darnell Weaver. They then joined their counterparts from the rest of the New England states for a roundtable discussion titled "Leading from the Front." Other speakers on the conference's first day included Executive Office of Public Safety and Security Undersecretary Gina Kwon, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea General Joy Campbell, and Meadows Place, Texas, Police Officer Ann Carrizales.

Day 2 kicked off with an award presentation, followed by remarks from MSP Detective Lieutenant Anthony Pagliaroni about the "Struggle Well" Program, which helps first responders cope with traumatic events. Fox25 reporter Bob Ward, who hosts a popular segment about unsolved cases and frequently reports on fugitives wanted for serious crimes, then spoke to the conference about his experiences reporting on and advocating for families affected by violent crime.

Finally, the program concluded with a roundtable discussion led by MSP Colonel (ret.) Kerry Gilpin, Boston Police Commissioner (ret.) Kathleen O'Toole, and Boston Police Superintendent Nora Baston. The trio of accomplished law enforcement leaders focused on the challenges of managing police agencies effectively while at simultaneously guiding the organization through crisis.

It was an enlightening, informative, and inspirational two days, and we hope our sister and brother law enforcement officers from other states enjoyed visiting us as much as we did hosting them. We are already looking forward to next year's conference in Newport.