MONTGOMERY – The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s (ALEA) State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), is pleased to partner with the National Liquor Law Enforcement Association (NLLEA) and the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board (ABC) to host the association’s 34th annual conference: A New Decade of Alcohol Law Enforcement. The conference will take place on Monday, Nov. 15, through Wednesday, Nov. 17, at the Renaissance Hotel & Spa’s Convention Center located at 201 Tallapoosa Street in Montgomery.
The Conference agenda is filled with industry experts as guest speakers, national award presentations and informative workshops regarding alcohol law enforcement topics such as new, innovative technology, direct shipping, trade practices, human trafficking enforcement, and more. ALEA’s Honor Guard will kick off the opening ceremonies with a presentation of colors, followed by opening remarks from NLLEA President John Yeomans, ALEA Secretary Hal Taylor and ABC’s Manager of Government Relations and Communications Dean Argo.
“We are honored to host this year’s National Liquor Law Enforcement Association Conference and welcome law enforcement officers from around the nation to the Capitol City,” Secretary Taylor said. “NLLEA’s annual conference is an excellent opportunity for alcohol law enforcement officers as well as agencies to gather and share new methods to address evolving enforcement challenges and growing responsibilities, while providing best practice recommendations and guidance on alcohol policies and procedures.”
NLLEA Board President John Yeomans said, “It is an exciting time for our association as we continue to adapt to policy and legislative changes around the country. The pandemic has created unprecedented shifts and changes in the alcohol marketplace adding additional challenges for alcohol law enforcement and our organization is committed to bringing our membership the most relevant and up-to-date information available through this conference to ensure that NLLEA members are on the cutting edge.”
Each year, NLLEA Awards are given in four categories: Alcohol Law Enforcement Agency of the Year, Alcohol Law Enforcement Agent of the Year, Innovative Alcohol Law Enforcement Program of the Year, and the John W. Britt Community Service Award. This year, Secretary Taylor is pleased to announce that ALEA’s Geographic Information System (GIS) Specialist Senior Sarah Jones will receive the 2021 Alcohol Law Enforcement Agent of the year for her role in the development and implementation in a revolutionary tool to track, monitor and maintain data collected during alcohol and tobacco compliance operations.
“It is an honor to receive such a prestigious award because it is a direct reflection of ALEA’s exceptional leadership that champions innovation. I am particularly thankful for the SBI leadership providing constant support, clear vision, and a standard of excellence as we work together to efficiently and effectively achieve the mission of ALEA to provide quality service, protection and safety for the State of Alabama,” said Jones.
“This award is a well-deserved recognition of Sarah’s GIS talents on a national level. Her skills and knowledge have made a huge impact on a tool SBI uses daily which allows Agents in the field to be more efficient and effective during all phases of the compliance detail,” said SBI Director Chris Inabinett. “Sarah is truly a great asset to ALEA’s SBI and the GIS profession.”
Over the course of the three-day Conference, Jones will join SBI Captain David Hall in a workshop to discuss the details of the mobile GIS tool from start to finish, while also demonstrating how the foundation of ALEA’s system can be quickly modified to meet unforeseen needs such as the ever-changing challenges of enforcement during the era of a global pandemic.
In addition to this presentation, several other Agency employees will participate in workshops including Special Agent Joey Hamilton with SBI’s Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Unit and Tim McCollum who is employed as Assistant Attorney General for the State of Alabama, working in ALEA’s Legal Division. To learn more about NLLEA, please visit: www.nllea.org.
