ORLANDO, Fla. – Members of law enforcement agencies are in Orlando this week to discuss ways to combat terrorism.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott, Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings and Orlando police Chief John Mina will be in attendance at the Orlando Counter Terrorism Conference from May 24-26 at the Rosen Centre Hotel.
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The conference aims to identify what causes acts of violence, who is involved and how to try and identify an attack before it happens.
An important discusses during the weekend conference will be how law enforcement organizations can coordinate with the public to improve safety in the Orlando area after the Pulse shooting on June 12, 2016, when 49 people were killed.
The National Sheriff's Association plans to announce a new app at the conference that will enable citizens to report suspicious activity on their smartphones, something that authorities said they hope will reduce terrorism.
“America’s sheriffs understand the value of our citizens and the role they play in helping keep our communities safe,” Jonathan Thompson, executive director and CEO of the National Sheriffs’ Association, said in a press release. “Combating the current threat of domestic terrorism from homegrown extremist requires that law enforcement be trained and equipped to deal with this threat.”
The BlackBox Digital Witness App, created as a neighborhood watch tool in 2013, was adapted on a larger scale of service after the NSA saw a need for it following the San Bernardino, California, shooting. The app, which can be downloaded on Google Play and in the Apple App store, does not replace the need to call 911, according to authorities.
National Sheriff's Association officials said they hope the BlackBox Digital Witness app will be used to identify and report signs and acts of terrorism to law enforcement agencies.