Dear Members of the California Robbery Investigator’s Association,

Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the February 2021 CRIA Training Conference at The Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas had to be cancelled.  The economic upheaval with gubernatorial ordered lockdowns, and cities impacted by anti-police riots with looting in some urban centers, have caused significant shortfalls in municipal and county revenues.  Local sales tax along with hotel bed tax revenues have been severely reduced, and these are major sources for municipal government operations.  Public safety budgets, especially for police and sheriff’s departments, have been slashed for 2021 and beyond.  That reality ultimately impacted local funding for law enforcement training.  Unfortunately, police and sheriff’s departments across the state, and throughout the western states—where many CRIA conference attendees hail—were unable to financially support training programs like CRIA.  As a result of this financial reality, the entire state board of directors was forced to cancel our 2021 Las Vegas conference.  Regrettably, this is the first time CRIA will not be convening in 49 years.  We will hold our next CRIA Training Conference in February, 2022—16 months from now—in Reno, Nevada, at the Peppermill Resort!

Here’s a very important footnote to the difficulties your board of directors faced with this decision:

When we were forced to cancel this coming February’s 2021 conference at The Flamingo, we faced contractual penalties from the Caesars Entertainment corporation that were well into six-figures.  Such a financial penalty would have bankrupted CRIA’s 501 (c) (3) state-wide non-profit organization putting us out of business.  CRIA negotiated with the Caesars Entertainment sales leadership, outlining the financial damages facing cities losing revenues to rioting/looting/arson damages on a massive scale never before seen.  This, coupled with the “defund the police” political environment where we work, amplified police budget cutbacks.  Finally, CRIA explained that law enforcement commands have announced police training was going to face massive cutbacks, and we recognized we would be unable to muster enough participants for our 2021 event. 

The entire Caesars’ group, most notably, Associate Sales Director Melissa Roskey, were clearly concerned with “supporting ‘their’ local law enforcement” and they were extraordinarily responsive to CRIA’s plight.  That’s important for every CRIA member to know.  And respectfully, please understand The Flamingo and all the Caesars Entertainment properties, as a business, have suffered significant financial setbacks as well.  So both sides of this discussion were facing dire straits.  Ultimately the executive management of the Flamingo/Caesars Entertainment agreed to waive 100% of all cancelation penalties facing CRIA, and we’ve signed our 2022 contract with The Flamingo in Las Vegas!  Together, we will be in Las Vegas again to celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of the California Robbery Investigators Association. 

This footnote was intended to tell you of how Caesars Entertainment, even facing their own financial difficulties in this Covid Pandemic, stood up for their police!  They wanted to be visible in their support and make sure CRIA did not go under financially.  And, when no one else would have known, they showed their personal integrity and character to support those who protect and serve others.  As CRIA was potentially facing bankruptcy, Caesars Entertainment stood up for every CRIA member when it was needed, and they deserve your thanks.  I’m asking all of you, when you’re ready to get back for a few days of “R&R” in Las Vegas, remember that Caesars Entertainment (representing all of their hotels and resorts), stood up, and proved what good corporate citizens they are, and they deserve our financial support.  Stay at a Caesars’ property, spend some hard-earned money, enjoy their quality entertainment, and please on behalf of CRIA, enjoy supporting those who supported cops when it was needed!  When you’re there, please tell their staff thank you from your board of directors at CRIA. 

Be well, watch your Six, and I’ll see you in Reno in 2022!

Richard T. Long, CPP

President, California Robbery Investigator’s Association.

Detective Services Commander—Newport Beach Police Department (ret)

Senior Vice-President, Director of Global Law Enforcement, 3SI Security Services