Dr. Danielle Neal, assistant professor of Criminal Justice, 308.865.8756; Dr. Doug Biggs, chair of the Department of Criminal Justice, 308.
Asian crime, the aftermath of 9/11 and the criminalization of immigration are among the topics that will be presented at the 24th annual Criminal Justice Conference set for Tuesday, March 12, at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
The conference and career fair, hosted by the UNK Department of Criminal Justice, will begin at 8 a.m. with the career fair for criminal justice majors and other interested students in the Nebraskan Student Union Ponderosa Room. The career fair will continue during breaks between speakers. The conference and career fair are free and open to the public.
“The annual criminal justice conference and career fair attracts more than 400 students and justice practitioners each year,” said Dr. Doug Biggs, associate dean of the College of Natural and Social Sciences. “The career fair provides students with the opportunity to meet with representatives from dozens of justice agencies at the federal, state and local level, in Nebraska and across the Midwest.”
The conference will open at 9 a.m. with Dr. John LaDuke, dean of the College of Natural and Social Sciences, giving the conference welcome.
The keynote speaker for the conference is Public Safety Commissioner David Chong of the City of White Plains, N.Y. Chong, who has served in law enforcement for more than 30 years, is in charge of the overall operations of the largest department in the City of White Plains, which has an annual budget of approximately $65 million. The city police, fire, EMS and 911 services all report to him.
Chong will give two presentations: “Asian Organized Crime and Gangs” from 9:15 – 10:15 a.m. and “9/11 and the Aftermath” from 10:45 – noon. His first-hand experience as one of the first Asian American gang detectives in New York sparked the topic “Asian Organized Crime and Gangs.” Chong was also a first responder to the tragedy at the World Trade Centers in 2001 where he was trapped while rescuing victims. He will share his story during “9/11 and the Aftermath.” Chong has received numerous awards and medals over his law enforcement career, including more than 119 medals and honors while with the New York Police Department. Among his awards are the Society of Asian Federal Officer’s Man of the Year, the NYPD Asian Jade Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award and the Organization of Chinese Americans Dynamic Achiever Award.
During the afternoon, Mark Potok, the editor-in-chief of the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Intelligence Report, will give two presentations: “Hate and Extremism,” from 1:30 – 2:45 p.m., and “Criminalization of Immigration,” from 3-3:45 p.m. Potok is an expert on extremism and has appeared on numerous news programs. Before joining the Southern Poverty Law Center, he was an award-winning journalist at major newspapers, including USA Today, the Dallas Times Herald and The Miami Herald. While with USA Today, he covered the 1993 Waco siege, the rise of militias, the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and the trial of Timothy McVeigh.
Among the career fair participants are: the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, Holdrege Police Department, UNO School of Criminology and Criminal Justice Graduate Program, UNK/UNO Online Degree Completion Program, United States Secret Service, Grand Island Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Omaha Police Department, Lexington Police Department, Buffalo County Juvenile Diversion, Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, UNK Department of Counseling and School Psychology Graduate Program, Nebraska Families Collaborative, Nebraska Juvenile Justice Association, Nebraska State Probation, Kearney Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, Fremont Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, Nebraska Victim Assistance Academy – Creighton University, Nebraska Wesleyan University Forensic Program and the Nebraska Juvenile Justice Association.
Financial support for the conference is being provided by the UNK Faculty Senate Artists and Lecturers Committee and Dr. John LaDuke, dean of the UNK College of Natural and Social Services. For a complete schedule of events, visit http://www.unk.edu/academics/cj/24th_Annual_Criminal_Justice_Conference/.
