Building Safer Cities — Together

Welcome & Opening Sessions | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM

Opening Session: Why Public Safety Matters Now

We begin the forum by emphasizing the importance of collaboration: safer downtowns are achieved when public safety, outreach, and operations work together. This kickoff underscores the urgency of coordinated strategies and highlights the significant impact frontline teams have on trust, perception, and daily street outcomes.

Centro San Antonio CEO Trish DeBerry will co-host and provide a ‘State of Downtown’ perspective. Following this, keynote speaker Joell McNew of Safeguard Strategy will discuss modern safety partnerships and outline the necessary steps cities must take next.

Presenters:

• Blair McBride, President, Block by Block
• Derreck Hughes, Vice President, Block by Block
• Trish DeBerry, President & CEO, Centro San Antonio
• Joell McNew, President, Safeguard Strategies

Break | 10:30 AM – 10:45 AM

Panel Rotation – (Choose 2) | 10:45 AM – 12:30 PM

Participants will choose one of three concurrent panels focused on critical operational and strategic areas. Each panel emphasizes real-world application and peer exchange.

Panel Options:

• Technology Dispatch & Communications
  How centralized dispatch, communication protocols, and technology support frontline teams, improve response times, and enhance coordination across partners.
  Location: Director Room
  Presenters:
  
  • Dmitri Shimolin, President, Safe City Connect
  • Sergio Andrades, General Manager of Hollywood Partnership Ambassador Program, Block by Block
  • Mike Bruggeman, Chief Safety & Security Officer, Downtown Detroit Partnership
• Fundraising & Resource Development
  Strategies for securing sustainable funding for public safety initiatives, including Ambassador Program expansion, and aligning safety outcomes with community priorities.
  Location: Pecos Room
  Presenters:
  
  • Frank Kalmbach, Director of Operations and Finance, Louisville Downtown Partnership
  • Brian Kurtz, Chief Executive Officer, San Jose Downtown Association
• Coordinated Downtown Safety: Strategy, Partnership, and On-Street Impact
  Led by Centro San Antonio, this panel brings together collaborative leaders from Centro San Antonio and the San Antonio Police Department discussing how the Downtown Bike Patrol and Quality of Life Team coordinate public safety efforts to shape the daily safety reality of San Antonio’s urban core.
  Location: Live Oak Room
  Presenters:
  
  • Trish DeBerry, President/CEO
  • Adrain Martinez, San Antonio Police and SAPOA PAC Co Chair
  • Monty McCain, CRT

Networking Lunch | 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

An extended lunch designed to encourage deeper connection, informal discussion, and cross-market learning.

Collaborative Problem-Solving Roundtables | 1:45 PM – 3:20 PM

Facilitated, topic-centric roundtable discussions focused on shared challenges and collective problem solving. Participants rotate between tables, contributing insights, asking questions, and learning from peers facing similar issues in different markets.

Topics may include:

• Safety Programs: What Works for Public Spaces?
• Deployment Strategies for Safety Programs
• Crisis management planning
• Stakeholder coordination
• Data and performance measurement
• Funding Mechanism
• Outreach Programming & Partner Coordination

Facilitated Conversation | 3:30 PM – 4:45 PM

When Other Public Uses Intersect with Downtown
Hear about the work of three seasoned professionals from sectors that intersect, intertwine and sometime intertangle with downtown – strong safety strategies in public transportation, college campuses and entertainment districts are vital to downtown districts.
Presenters:

• Allison Harnden, Nighttime Economy Manager, City of Pittsburgh
• Joell McNew, President, Safeguard Strategies
• Ken Divers, Retired Director of Outreach Programs, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
• Shane Zahn, Director of Safety Initiatives, Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District

Closing Session & Announcements | 4:45 PM – 5:00 PM

A brief wrap-up highlighting key takeaways, emerging themes, and what participants can carry back to their organizations.

Evening Reception | 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Reconnect and unwind after a full day of learning with light refreshments and informal conversation.

Evening:

Dine-Arounds or Free Time
Optional small-group dinners or independent exploration of San Antonio.

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

Day 3: Security Built for Public Spaces (Half-Day)

Breakfast | 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

Security Solutions for Public Spaces | 9:00 AM – 10:45 AM

Rethinking Safety in Public Spaces
This session presents Block by Block's refined approach to public space safety, building on extensive practical experience while critically examining conventional security models. Participants will gain insights into the vision, guiding principles, and strategic framework supporting an innovative, human-centered safety solution tailored for public environments. The discussion will address how this model improves visibility, fosters trust, and increases responsiveness in collaboration with current public safety partners. An open Q&A will follow.

Partner Meet & Learn | 11:00 AM – Noon

Interactive Breakout Session
Interactive conversations with key partners shaping how modern public safety solutions are deployed in public spaces. Get a deeper look into the thought process of and technology that powers the response and outcomes driven focus of Block by Block’s approach to public space safety.

• Safe City Connect (Chula Vista) – Integration of cutting-edge safety camera networks with strategic policies and active community engagement to set the standard for urban safety.
• Axon Meta Coach (Chula Vista Board Room) – AI-driven Immersive training series designed to develop critical soft skills of Community Response Officers.
• Preview of SMART Dispatch Services – Integrated dispatch software to enhance employee productivity, reporting outputs and program management.
• Preparing Community Response Officers (Spring Branch) – An early look of the training platform designed for Community Response Officers.
• Halo Body Worn Camers (Spring Branch) – Body worn Camera’s and evidence management solutions optimized for security applications.
• Relay Smart Radios (Spring Branch) – Seamlessly bridge communication gaps nationwide with Relay's smart radios, ensuring effortless connectivity across devices and languages.