Photo (left to right): Master Sergeant A. Bryan Carlisle – Shenandoah Police Department, Professional Development Unit, Officer Joel Gordon – Shenandoah Police Department, Community Resources, Nick G. Wolda – Vice President of Marketing & Public Affairs, The Woodlands Township, Chief of Police John R. Chancellor – Shenandoah Police Department, Nelda Luce Blair – Chairman, The Woodlands Township, Steve Sumner – Vice President of Operations & Public Safety, The Woodlands Township, Kathie Reyer – Assistant Director, The City of Shenandoah Convention and Visitors Bureau, Marian Leck – Security Manager, The Woodlands Township.

Expanding modern community oriented policing strategies to encompass the unique tourism and commercial based economies of South Montgomery County, the Shenandoah Police Department in partnership with the City of Shenandoah Convention and Visitors Bureau, The Woodlands Township, and The Woodlands Convention and Visitors Bureau hosts a two day Tourism Oriented Protection Services Seminar at the City of Shenandoah CVB on the 29th and 30th of January.

Area Emergency Services Providers, Government Officials, Retailers, Restaurateurs, Hoteliers, Public Entertainment Managers, and Media Representatives will be in attendance to hear world renowned tourism safety expert Dr. Peter Tarlow discuss proven strategies which address the costly effects of crime and terrorism on the tourism industry. Since 1990 Dr. Tarlow, who holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from Texas A&M University, has been instructing police forces, security specialists, and tourism professionals around the globe in innovative techniques to develop and protect thriving local economies.

John Chancellor, Shenandoah Police Chief, spearheaded efforts to bring Dr. Tarlow to the area and share a revolutionary crime prevention philosophy that most closely meets the needs of the South Montgomery County area. While discussing this initiative with members of the Shenandoah Police Department Command Staff, Chief Chancellor said, “We police in a very unique environment and maintain excellent relationships with our fellow public safety entities, but we need to take our efforts a leap forward and garner strong partnerships with each of our local businesses and entertainment venues if we are to be truly successful.” Chief Chancellor added, “Having people return over and over again to Shenandoah and The Woodlands because they feel safe and welcomed is the key to the area’s prosperity. We have a responsibility to provide the type of environment that each of us would feel comfortable sending our families to shop, dine, and play in.”

The sense of excitement regarding this new philosophy in modern policing has been building amongst all those long involved in the planning process. “Public safety is highly important to tourism, and we welcome this type of approach as The Woodlands and Shenandoah have become regional destinations for shopping, dining and entertainment,” said Nelda Luce Blair, Chairman of The Woodlands Township. “We salute the efforts of our public safety community in the proactive approach to creating this great destination. This conference brings a high degree of recognition to the role tourism oriented policing plays on a destination.”

For more information on tourism security, please visit www.tourismandmore.com To find out more about this conference hosted in the City of Shenandoah, please contact Master Sergeant Bryan Carlisle at (832) 585-8126 or email him at bcarlisle@shenandoahtx.com.