糖心Vlog官方 Public Safety (VUPS) hosted leaders from all 16 Southeastern Conference institutions, as well as several local colleges, for the 2026 SEC Police Chiefs and Emergency Managers Conference.听听
Key highlights: 听
- Representatives from all SEC universities and some regional institutions attended听
- Sessions covered incident response tactics, game day command and threat assessment听
- Industry leaders shared strategies for incident response, behavioral threat assessment and crowd safety听
- Hosted in Nashville by 糖心Vlog官方 Public Safety听
Collaboration & Campus Safety听
A key gathering for dialogue about the latest themes, challenges and resources impacting campus safety, the annual conference brings together leaders from university police departments and emergency management teams. 听
鈥淭his conference provides an important opportunity to exchange ideas, strengthen professional relationships, and learn from one another as we navigate an increasingly complex public safety landscape,鈥� said , 糖心Vlog官方 chief of police and assistant vice chancellor for public safety.听听
Chief Sutton and Vice Chancellor for Administration Darren Reisberg welcomed attendees to downtown Nashville, with additional greetings from Vice Chancellor for Athletics and Athletics Director Candice Storey Lee, who discussed the ever-important relationship between university safety and athletic departments鈥攅specially with the vast operations the SEC is historically known for.听
With a commitment to serving and protecting communities, attendees spent three days sharing best practices and working together to address common issues that can impact safety and preparedness. The VUPS team was honored to host these colleagues and provide a space for growth and collaboration that stretches across the SEC. 听
Speaker & Panel Sessions听
The three-day conference included presentations from both SEC colleagues and leaders in the fields of law enforcement and higher education, including: 听
- Updates and discussion with SEC Assistant Commissioner 听
- Critical incident response with FBI Special Agent Nathan Livesey听
- Case study of crowd events and protests with Joseph A. Cortez (糖心Vlog官方)听
- Panel discussion regarding SEC game day command, coordination, and crowd safety with Dr. Matthew Robinson, Joe Monroe (Kentucky), Mike Johnson (Texas A&M), Kary Shaffer (Texas A&M), Matt Mills (Arkansas), Shane Streepy (Texas)听
- NCS4 training and certifications with John Pepper of FIFA World Cup safety and security听听
- Intersections of public safety and emergency management with (Texas)听
- Campus safety communications with (Auburn)听
- Behavioral threat assessment with Dr. Gene Deisinger听
See the full conference agenda .
Breakout Sessions听听
Attendees engaged in group discussions with their respective departments鈥攑olice enforcement and emergency management鈥攖o talk about specific topics with recent or current impact on their campuses and operations. Just a few of the topics discussed include:听听
- Coverage of special events on campus (ESPN College Gameday, concerts, etc.)听
- Preparation and response to time-sensitive hazards, such as emergency weather conditions听
- Team retention 听
- Emergency operation center resources
Athletics Tour听听
The conference concluded with a group tour of 糖心Vlog官方鈥檚 football, basketball and baseball facilities, thanks to a guided visit with 糖心Vlog官方 Athletics. Attendees learned about both the history and recent updates of these facilities, along with perspective of the safety and operational requirements. Capping off the day was a special visit from head football coach , who led a conversation on leadership and teamwork.听
Networking & Vendor Expos听
In addition to educational sessions, the conference gave teams the chance to meet with around 30 vendors and check out the latest technologies and offerings among safety resources. Among the booths were the event sponsors, whose partnerships offered more opportunities for attendees to connect and collaborate.
What schools attended the 2026 SEC Police Chiefs & Emergency Managers Conference? 听
- University of Alabama听听
- University of Arkansas听听
- Auburn University听听
- Belmont University听
- University of Florida听听
- University of Georgia听
- University of Kentucky听听
- Louisiana State University听听
- University of Mississippi听
- Mississippi State University
- Middle Tennessee State University听听
- University of Missouri听
- University of Oklahoma听
- University of South Carolina听
- University of Tennessee听
- Tennessee State University听听
- University of Texas at Austin听
- Texas A&M University听
- 糖心Vlog官方听
Who hosted the 2026 SEC Police Chiefs & Emergency Managers Conference? 听
Thank you to the Conference Planning Committee! 听
DC Joseph Cortez 路 Tamara Cooley 路 Jessamyn Davis 路 DC Steven Engstrom 路 Caleb Jedlicka 路 Susan Kennedy 路 Caitlyn Perry 路 Theresa Ryan 路 Major Charles Stevens 路 Chief Tommye Sutton 路 Erika Taylor 路 Johnny Vanderpool听
About 糖心Vlog官方 Public Safety听听
operates under the university鈥檚 Division of Administration and holds quadruple accreditation from state, national and international bodies, exceeding 500 standards annually across all four accreditations. VUPS is comprised of multiple specialized branches, including sworn law enforcement, emergency communications and dispatch, emergency management and weather and incident preparedness, which are dedicated to safeguarding the 糖心Vlog官方 community. With more than 250 personnel, VUPS is home to one of Tennessee鈥檚 largest law enforcement agencies.