Upcoming Events
2026 Events
October 20 – Gardendale Civic Center
The annual BlueWatch Summit and Resource Fair is a day-long program designed to educate, encourage and support officers. This year’s focus will be on “How to Build a Lasting Career” and will feature prominent keynote speakers from around the United States. In addition to our featured speakers, representatives will be on site with resources to designed to address the challenges officers face throughout their career including topics addressing Education, Professional Development, Health, Wellness , Finance and more.
Meet Our Keynote Speakers
Join Keynote Speakers Dave Funkhouse and Michael Collazo as they share insights from their time in law enforcement..
Dave Funkhouser
Chief of Police, retired
Keil, Wisconsin
Join Dave Funkhouser, a veteran of 34 years of law enforcement in Wisconsin, as he provides direction on becoming a dynamic leader by first becoming a leader of yourself; then developing that knowledge to transform yourself into an effective and powerful leader for your group or organization. Using a blend ofpersonal experiences, humor, and real-life examples, Dave Funkhouser will demonstrate and lead the attendees in digging deep to examining their own personal lives and feelings, with the intent of transforming their internalization process, thus developing a steppingstone to building, reinforcing, and transforming their professional organizational and individual leadership skills.
Michael Collazo
Metro Nashville Police Department
Michael Collazo serves with the Metro Nashville Police Department. After attending college and then completing the police academy, Michael served his first two years as a patrol officer. Since then, he has been assigned to the department’s Flex Team, Crime Suppression Unit, and the Field Intelligence Unit, a unit that focuses on complex criminal investigations. It was while serving on the Field Intelligence Unit, that on March 27, 2023, he and his unit responded to an active shooter call where a lone gunman entered the Covenant School and tragically took the lives of six individuals. Michael and four other officers were among the first responder who entered the school and located the gunman – leading to an exchange of gunfire. It was this fateful day that forever impacted Michael’s life, family, and career.
2026 New Officer Presentations
- March 12
Wiregrass Law Enforcement Academy
Dothan, Alabama
- April 21, 2025
Jefferson Co. Law Enforcment Academy
Birmingham, Alabama
- March 12
Wiregrass 1st Responders Dinner
Headland, Alabama
- April 22
Alabama Law Enforcement Academy
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
- April 2
NE Alabama Academy
Anniston, Alabama
- April 28
Alabama Criminal Justice Center
Selma, Alabama
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