Flint, Michigan – A significant conference on reducing crimes against vulnerable people and improving victim support is set to take place in Flint. Organized by Mayor Sheldon Neeley and the Sexual Assault Kit Investigation (SAKI) Unit of the Flint Police Department, the Standing Against Predators and Pedophiles Conference (S.A.P.P.H.I.R.E.S.) is scheduled to start on August 12 and will last until August 16.
The five-day event seeks to unite professionals from several spheres including law enforcement, healthcare, victim advocacy, and community organizations to exchange knowledge and promote cooperation. Opening the conference with welcoming words, Mayor Sheldon Neeley and Police Chief Terence Green will highlight the city’s dedication to tackling major crimes by means of community and professional alliances.
“This conference is a great opportunity for the City of Flint to show the rest of the state, and the rest of the country, how we cultivate partnerships with all available resources and organizations in our community to tackle our major crime cases,” Mayor Neeley said. “What we have is a comprehensive plan that addresses every aspect of the criminal investigation process.”
Among the prominent speakers at the S.A.P.P.H.I.R.E.S. Conference will be Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson and forensic expert Carol Rolnick, who starred in the CNN documentary “The Lost Sons,”. Additional speakers on multidisciplinary collaboration, policy reform, new technology in criminal investigation, human trafficking, and support for crime victims will be representatives from Hurley Medical Center, YWCA, Genesee County Prosecutor’s Office, and other organizations.
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The conference also emphasizes Flint’s SAKI Unit’s development, which has been crucial in examining sexual assault cold cases with federal funding help since 2015. Key in developing the SAPPHIRES initiative was Sgt. Mona Paterson, who has been a member of the SAKI unit since its founding and has overseen grant elements of the program since 2018.
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The conference’s funding comes from the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative, Flint’s opioid settlement money, and the Community Foundation of Greater Flint among other sources. Complementing the Back to the Bricks cruise, a Community Resource Tent will be set up on City Hall’s front lawn on the last day of the event Staff from the YWCA, the prosecutor’s office, and local police will help guests with resources, food, and knowledge on current events.