[034] California Tourism Safety & Security Association with Dave Wiggins

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• published: 07 Aug 2014
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California Tourism Safety & Security Association Dave is the president of the California Tourism Safety & Security Association, a non-profit collaboration of law enforcement, security professionals, attraction operators, travel professionals, tourism industry officials and others dedicated to improving visitor safety via the exchange of tourist crime and safety information, education, and professional networking. The Association tracks visitor security related trends, exchanges tourism crime information among members, advocates for improved visitor safety measures, and conducts related training seminars. Membership in the Association is free of charge, open only to qualified working professionals. Training programs are presented at no or low cost for members. Dave is a 27-year veteran of California law enforcement, and a court recognized expert on tourism crime investigations, and crime prevention at tourism venues. He has handled literally thousands of tourism related criminal cases, and has developed some of the most progressive visitor safety initiatives in the nation. He has over a decade of experience in security infrastructure design, security planning/staffing, and risk management for tourism venues, hotels, conventions, and special events. This includes amusement parks, national and international sporting events, film premiers, parades, concerts, national conventions and trade shows, as well as dignitary protection for a variety of world leaders, celebrities, and high-profile executives. Dave has extensive experience in security planning, risk management, and client services for large conventions and trade shows. He has been invited around the country to train industry groups of meeting planners and convention managers on the topic of protecting and serving meetings, conferences, conventions, and trade shows. Dave has authored articles, and been interviewed for a variety of magazines and newspapers, regarding tourism security trends. He conceived and authored the year-long field survey "Visitor Perceptions Concerning Safety & Security" which has received international attention. His achievements in forging partnerships between regional law enforcement agencies and tourism venues was recognized in the Department of Justice's training program, Operation Partnership. Dave has been accredited by the American Hotel & Lodging Association as a Certified Lodging Security Director (CLSD), and he has authored numerous articles on hotel safety & security. Dave administered the Orange County Crime Alert Network for many years. He has served as the Chairman of the conference organizing committee for the annual California Tourism Safety & Security Conference since 2001. The conference has grown into the largest of its kind in the nation. Dave was honored by the Orange County Tourism Council with their Chairman's Award, the first time the Council has recognized a member of law enforcement. Dave recently produced a new training video on how to prevent and respond to Active Shooter incidents at tourism venues. This video is being used by tourism businesses around the nation. Dave and his Association colleagues provide training for convention managers, meeting planners, tour operators, hotel and attraction operators, and civic groups, as well as law enforcement and security teams. Dave recently addressed the Hawaii Visitor Industry Security Association in Honolulu; the International Association of Convention & Visitor Bureaus Conference in Boston; the Las Vegas Tourism Safety & Security Conference; the police and security teams at Hoover Dam; the Western States Lodging Convention in Sacramento; the Southern California Visitor Industry Outlook Conference in Long Beach; the ARLAG travel industry convention in Guadalajara, Mexico; the Connecticut State Police Academy; the Caribbean Tourism Security Conference in Oranjestad, Aruba; Southern California Attractions Security Association in Anaheim; Financial & Insurance Conference Planners Association in Atlanta; San Diego Emergency Preparedness Summit; Texas Visitor Safety Conference at Texas A&M;; the International Problem Oriented Policing Conference in Madison Wisconsin; as well as events for Meeting Professionals International; Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International; International Association of Assembly Managers; Women in Lodging; and Soroptimist International.