FBI-LEEDA and National Equipment Register (NER) are holding free, one-day summits to help equipment owners, insurers and law enforcers combat heavy equipment theft.

The next Regional Heavy Equipment Theft summit, hosted by Sheriff Grady Judd, of Polk County, Florida, is on at the Stuart Centre, in Bartow, Florida, on September 20, 2005.

NER president David Shillingford said the summits would help combat equipment theft through education, networking and by highlighting new technologies.

The first summit was in Jackson, Mississippi. Bartow, Florida, is the third this year.

"There is no single solution to [equipment thefts]. People and technologies working to fight the thieves will have a greater impact through cooperation," Shillingford said.

The summit will start with a general session to discuss equipment theft and recovery.

It will be followed by classes for law enforcers on techniques for identifying stolen equipment and classes for equipment owners on theft prevention and equipment recovery.

Equipment owners and law enforcers will have the opportunity to discuss issues of common interest during a sponsored lunch.

There will also be a demonstration of new equipment security technologies throughout the day.

To register for the Florida summit, please provide your name and agency to NER. Phone +1-212-297-1805 or email info@NERusa.com before September 14.

FBI-LEEDA, the FBI-Law Enforcement Executive Development Association, is a non-profit association established to advance the science and art of police management and administration worldwide. It was formed by a group of participants in a law enforcement executives' program that had its origins at the FBI Academy, in Quantico, Virginia.