IPMBA 2020 Notice of Cancellation
Dear IPMBA Members, Friends, and Industry Partners:
We hope that you are all weathering the COVID-19 storm and will continue to do so, personally and professionally. Public safety professionals take an oath to protect and serve the members of their communities. IPMBA is proud to support those efforts by setting high operational standards and providing world-class training and resources for public safety cyclists.
For 29 years, IPMBA has brought public safety cyclists together at what has gained a reputation as the premier training event for police, EMS, and security personnel who operate bicycles in the line of duty. It is more than just a conference; it is a celebration of cycling, an exchange of experience and information, an opportunity to discover new tools and technologies, and for many, a reunion of family and friends.
It is with great sadness that we must announce the cancellation of the 30th Annual IPMBA Conference, scheduled for June 1-6, 2020, in Dayton, Ohio. This decision was not made lightly. The Board of Directors considered many factors, including the declaration of states of emergency on both the national and state levels; the closure of the US border; the various directives issued by the State of Ohio, including an indefinite ban on gatherings of more than ten people and a shelter-in-place order lasting at least through April 6; and the decisions to cancel the public National Police Memorial Week activities and postpone the Summer Olympics.
In addition, the Board realizes that many agencies – including our host agencies – may experience COVID-related staffing shortages and need to have all personnel available to maintain the high levels of service their communities expect and deserve. They have considered that universities such as the University of Dayton may be called upon to provide supplemental healthcare facilities. Finally, they understand and respect that everyone has someone in their lives who is more susceptible than others, and protecting the vulnerable is a core component of a public safety servant’s job description.
Although there will be no IPMBA Conference in 2020, we remain committed to providing you with the training and resources public safety cyclists expect and deserve. As the spread of the disease slows and restrictions are lifted, we look forward to scheduling smaller-scale regional training courses, such as the Instructor Course and the Maintenance Officer Course. Our cadre of more than 700 instructors stands ready to conduct the Police, EMS, and Security Cyclist Courses, and Bicycle Response Team Training at the local level.
Those who have registered for the 2020 IPMBA Conference as an attendee or exhibitor/sponsor or are scheduled to teach at it will receive an email with additional information.
The IPMBA Conference accounts for nearly one-third of our revenue. The loss of that income will significantly impact our operations, so we ask you to bear with us as we adjust our priorities. If you are in a position to do so, please also make a tax-deductible donation to help us continue to provide you with the resources you deserve and expect.
e look forward to seeing you in 2021…more information to follow!