AMERICA'S MOST INFLUENTIAL LAW ENFORCEMENT LEADERS ANNOUNCE 2026 NATIONAL CONFERENCE TO ADVANCE TRUST, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND COMMUNITY SAFETY
***Five-Day National Training Event to Convene May 27–31, 2026, in Dallas, Texas***
Dallas, TX — In a coordinated, unified national effort to strengthen trust, advance community engagement, and improve public safety outcomes, top law enforcement leaders from across the United States have announced the 2026 Professionalizing Law Enforcement–Community Engagement Training (PLECET) National Conference, to be held May 27–31, 2026, at the Hilton Anatole Dallas in Dallas, Texas.
PLECET is the only national law enforcement conference in the United States of America dedicated exclusively to professionalizing community engagement — encompassing community outreach, community affairs, and community policing — as a core public-safety function. The 2026 conference is expected to convene thousands of community-focused law enforcement professionals representing local, state, federal, tribal, campus, transit, railroad, and prosecutorial agencies from all 50 states.
A newly released video announcement featuring prominent law enforcement, prosecutorial, and federal leaders underscores a shared message: public trust and public safety are inseparable — and trust must be trained for.
"As law enforcement leaders, we know that public trust directly impacts public safety," said Canadian County, Oklahoma Sheriff Chris West, President of the National Sheriffs' Association. "The National Sheriffs' Association is committed to make sure that our deputies are trained to foster genuine community relationships."
A National Movement to Professionalize Community Engagement
Since its historic launch in 2023, the PLECET National Conference has rapidly become the premier convening for law enforcement professionals interested in or seeking to enhance community relationships, drawing experts and attendees from every region of the country and across all agency types.
Organized by MovementForward, Inc., in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Justice, PLECET was created to address a critical gap in law-enforcement training: while community engagement is universally expected, formalized, evidence-based, and skill-focused training has historically been limited.
As agencies nationwide confront recruitment and retention challenges, heightened public scrutiny, and increasing demands for transparency and accountability, leaders across the profession agree that effective community engagement is essential to officer safety, wellness, legitimacy, and crime-reduction efforts.
"A skilled approach to community partnerships is required to ensure all stakeholders work together to address our nation' s public safety challenges.," said David Hess, Chief of Police in Roxboro, North Carolina, and Chair of the International Association of Chiefs of Police Community Policing Committee.
Dallas Selected as Host City for 2026
The 2026 PLECET National Conference will be hosted in Dallas in coordination with the Dallas Police Department and the broader Dallas–Fort Worth law enforcement community.
In a formal nationwide invitation sent to every law enforcement agency in the country on behalf of the local Host Committee and national organizers, Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux emphasized the universal need to advance professional, trust-based policing and welcomed agencies from across the nation to the fourth-largest metroplex in the United States.
The Hilton Anatole Dallas, a world-class resort and conference destination, will serve as the official host hotel, offering an unmatched environment for both professional development and family-friendly experiences.
"Community engagement is not just an option; it is the very foundation of public safety," said Patrick Yoes, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police. "Strong community relationships lead to safer communities."
Broad National Leadership and Association Support
PLECET 2026 is convened in coordination with an unprecedented coalition of national law-enforcement and justice-system organizations featured in the official 2026 PLECET Informational Video, including:
Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA)
Fraternal Order of Police (FOP)
International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA)
International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)
National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE)
National District Attorneys Association (NDAA)
National Sheriffs' Association (NSA)
Small and Rural Law Enforcement Executives Association (SRLEEA)
U.S. Department of Justice
Other major national law enforcement professional and membership associations
"Federal law enforcement officers also benefit from strong community ties," said Matthew Silverman, National President of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association. "PLECET's training and collaboration opportunities allow us to share best practices across local, state, and federal agencies, providing a unique national forum to create a unified approach to community outreach."
"PLECET provides critical steps in professionalizing community engagement," said San Diego County, California District Attorney Summer Stephan, Chair of the Board of the National District Attorneys Association. "This helps officers, prosecutors, and legal professionals engage more effectively with the communities we serve."
Comprehensive Five-Day Training Experience
The 2026 PLECET National Conference will feature:
• Research- and evidence-based instruction
• Skill-focused breakout workshops
• Peer-to-peer collaboration
• Leadership and line-level training tracks
• Cross-agency networking
• National best-practice exchange
While command staff are encouraged to attend, PLECET is intentionally designed for the officers and professional staff who carry day-to-day responsibility for community engagement, including community policing units, outreach teams, public-information offices, and supervisory personnel.
A Call to Agencies Nationwide
Reverend Markel Hutchins, Chairman and CEO of MovementForward, Inc., and Lead Organizer of the PLECET National Conference, emphasized the conference's national significance:
"If your agency is ready to elevate its community engagement, PLECET 2026 is where your agency needs to be. From May 27 through May 31, thousands of community-focused law-enforcement professionals will gather in Dallas for five days of training, collaboration, and preparation for the future of our profession."
Further Details, Registration, and Lodging Information
Dates: May 27–31, 2026
Location: Hilton Anatole, Dallas, Texas
Register and learn more: www.plecetconference.org
Lodging: plecetconference2026.org/lodging
National Office: 404.605.7000 or 888.4WARD21 (888.492.7921)
ABOUT PLECET
The Professionalizing Law Enforcement–Community Engagement Training (PLECET) National Conference is the nation's only annual conference dedicated exclusively to advancing community engagement as a professional, specialized, and mission-critical function of modern law enforcement.
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