Alex Collins
Alex joined the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department in 2007. He graduated from the academy, served time at the Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center and was eventually stationed in Big Bear. Alex's two older brothers are also on the department which helped lead him into a career in law enforcement.
In February of 2012, Alex was critically injured in the shootout that ended the manhunt for Christopher Dorner. At the time of the shooting, Alex was an acting detective at the Big Bear station. He was also on family leave because his wife had just given birth to their first child just two and a half weeks prior.
In the shootout, Alex was shot four times in the face, arm, chest, and leg. After about a month in the hospital, 20 surgeries, and physical therapy, Alex returned to work full duty just seven months after the shooting. Alex is currently a Detective with the Criminal Intelligence Division and a member of the departments full-time SWAT team. Alex will tell the story about the days leading up to the end of the manhunt as well as the day of and moments before the shooting. He will talk about how his Will to Survive instincts kicked in and how he vowed to keep on fighting. He will talk about his survival, rehabilitation, and determination to get back to work.
Robert Almonte
The Mexican drug trafficker has increasingly relied on saints and icons to protect them as they transport drugs throughout the United States. Almonte Consulting & Training provides information on the various legitimate and illegitimate saints and icons used by the Mexican drug dealer.
His training courses will show an analysis of the drug wars of the Cartels, the violence in Mexico, as well as spillover-over violence occurring in the United States. All attendees will become more aware of the operations of the Mexican Cartels and their criminal activity including drug trafficking, human trafficking and the violence associated with the Cartels in Mexico and in their communities throughout the United States.
Sean Riley
Sean Riley is the Founder and President of Safe Call Now, a confidential, comprehensive, 24-hour crisis referral service for public safety employees, all emergency services personnel and their family members nationwide. Safe Call Now was started in 2009 after legislation was passed guaranteeing confidentiality nationwide for all who call the Safe Call Now crisis line that is staffed by current and former first responders.
Sean played baseball for San Diego State University and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Public Administration. He started his law enforcement career as a San Diego County Deputy Sheriff in 1987 and later relocated to Washington State in 1990. Sean spent over 16 years with the Kirkland Police Department. His many accomplishments include being a member of the International Homicide Investigator's Association, Homicide and Sexual Assault Detective, Interview and Interrogation Specialist, D.A.R.E. Officer, Gang Officer and Certified Training Officer. Riley is also credited with solving one of the first ever elder abuse homicide cases in the nation.
Sean's prominent career in law enforcement ended in 2005 when he could no longer hide his "secret" behind the badge. Sean threw away his almost 20-year stellar police career due to alcohol and drug addiction and was headed towards suicide to become just another unknown statistic. In addition to attending college for substance abuse counseling, Sean worked as a supervisor at a local treatment center where he witnessed many public safety employees coming in and out of treatment. Riley decided to do something about it. From his own experience, he knew that first responders wanted to come forward to help, but due to the stigma attached, they would not. Admitting to a substance abuse or mental health problem is perceived as a sign of weakness and could result in the termination from a noble career. By creating a safe and confidential place to reach out for help, first responders are now coming forward in droves from around the nation to better their lives, better their families and better their careers.
Recognized as a dynamic national keynote speaker, Sean travels throughout the country to share his inspirational story. Coupled with cutting edge, interactive training, Riley hits those once thought of as "taboo" or "controversial" topics head-on.
"Safe Call Now provides education, healthy alternatives, resources and a complete continuum of care to save lives and put families back together. Through a collaborative effort, Safe Call Now has discovered when you provide an opportunity for an individual to get their life and their family back, you get one great employee back out serving the public.
Jay Dobyns
Jay Dobyns was a federal agent for twenty-seven years before retiring in 2014.
He achieved worldwide notoriety as one of history's most daring undercover operators during high-octane missions targeting America's
violent crime.
Often playing the role of a shrewdly-calculating hitman or mob debt collector infiltrating scores of deadly criminal enterprises while living among street and prison gangs, anti-government extremists, gunrunning groups, drug traffickers and organized crime members, bomb builders, home invasion robbery crews and "murder-for-hire" suspects.
A defense attorney once described Jay as: "...a government-trained ‘Predator’ repeatedly sent on seek and destroy missions in search of drugs, guns and violence, with instructions to succeed at any cost and without regard for the agent himself or those he crosses paths with.”
Jay is perhaps best known for his landmark effort against the notorious Hells Angels. He was the first-ever lawman to defeat the gang’s multilayered security measures getting inside to become a member of their legendary Skull Valley charter.
Jay's book about that investigation, No Angel, My Harrowing Undercover Journey to the Inner Circle of the Hells Angels, is a New York Times and international bestseller. His follow-up book, Catching Hell, A True Story of Abandonment and Betrayal, is a bestselling memoir that details the events of his life and career.
Jay's Catching Hell training for law enforcement groups and his Dent the Universe program for corporate audiences are delivered nationwide.
Vinnie Montez
Vinnie Montez is a loud, boisterous, and yet insightful comic. He is a compact ball of kinetic energy waiting to explode.
A Colorado native, he grew up in the largely homogenous community of Boulder, which prides itself on being a bastion of cultural diversity, but which is honestly just weird. With a strong Mexican heritage, his mom and dad were the biggest influences in his life; they weren’t afraid to be themselves or stray from the traditional Mexican culture, instilling core values while letting him find his own way.
As his physical dimensions will attest, good food is always a priority – especially good Mexican food; the hotter the better. Nevertheless, he has been known to enjoy the occasional burrito or two (or five… or six…) from the neighborhood Taco Bell.
Growing up, he always wanted to be a police officer, a dream that he realized in 1998. His experiences as a cop are the foundation for his comedy: you just can’t make some of this stuff up.
Always the center of attention at any social gathering, he got into comedy in 2007 with a trial performance at an open mic night at the Comedy Works in Denver. A bit of an adrenaline junkie, it gave him a taste of the spotlight, and like a good taco, he found he wanted more: since then he performs regularly at Denver’s Comedy Works and has appeared at venues across the nation. Vinnie has shared the stage with Michelle Wolf, Chris D’Elia, Joe Rogan, John Crist, Josh Blue, Paul Rodriguez, Gilbert Gottfried, Nick Guerra, Tony Hinchcliffe, Colin Jost, Brian Posehn, John Heffron, Gina Brillon, Joey Medina, Caroline Rhea, Bob Marley and More.
Vinnie has become a favorite among law enforcement and corporate audiences alike, performing for the Colorado Fraternal Order of Police, Colorado Association of School Resource Officers, Rocky Mountain Hostage Negotiators, International Association of Financial Crimes Investigators, County Sheriffs of Colorado, National Law Enforcement Explorer Conference 2018, Tactical Development Symposium, University of Wyoming, KYGO’s Christmas Crusade for Children, West Bloomfield Michigan Police Foundation, Police Unity Tour – Team Colorado, Hallie’s Heroes and more.
In 2018 Vinnie was inducted as an official member of Humanizing the Badge, an organization on a mission to help forge stronger relationships between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve.