CALEA 2020 Spring Conference in Orlando, FL Canceled
Gainesville, VA – Since yesterday’s communication, CALEA Commissioners and Staff have met nearly on the hour to monitor and discuss next week’s CALEA Conference. We stated the health and welfare of public safety professionals and the safety of our communities has always been a top priority for CALEA. In light of continued concerns surrounding the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), CALEA’s Executive Board has made the decision to cancel the upcoming March 17-21, 2020 CALEA Conference, in Orlando, Florida.
CALEA Commissioners and Staff have been following all news and issues related to COVID-19. At this time it has been determined that the safety of our clients, their families and communities made it necessary to cancel the conference and look at alternate methods for conducting agency committee review hearings. We understand the impact is tremendous for some agencies; however, at this time, as a public safety organization we have a responsibility to do what is best for everyone.
We understand the value and importance of CALEA Conferences and review committee hearings. The event provides a venue for speaking directly with the CALEA Commissioners and Staff, attending training workshops, and the critically important networking with peers. For those agencies originally scheduled for hearings in Orlando, you will receive, in the next few days, information regarding your assigned review committee webinar for Thursday, March 19 or Friday, March 20, where the Commission will conduct the review committee hearings within a virtual environment.
We also understand that agencies have worked extremely hard to achieve and/or maintain a CALEA Accredited status and an important part of that achievement is to be recognized during the CALEA Celebration Awards Banquet. For that reason, we would like to invite all agencies to attend the CALEA Conference and celebration awards banquet in either Oklahoma City, July 29 – August 1, 2020 or Little Rock, AR, November 11-14, 2020. Using fees already paid for the Orlando conference, you will be able to apply that credit to a future conference in 2020.
CALEA will offer all currently registered and paid agencies a full refund of conference fees for the Orlando conference. Or, your agency may maintain a credit with CALEA to be applied to a later conference occurring in 2020. If not used in 2020, your agency will be refunded in full. Below is a link for the Conference Refund Form. Upon completion, please email this form to wjones@calea.org, or mail it to 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, VA 20155. Please note, this form must be received by 5:00 PM ET on April 30, 2020. For additional information or questions contact Wendi Jones at 703.352.4225, ext. 34, or via email at wjones@calea.org. Conference Refund Form
AS FAR AS THE HOTELS ARE CONCERNED, PLEASE CONTACT THE HOTEL WHERE YOU MADE RESERVATIONS AND CANCEL YOUR ROOM NIGHTS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID ANY PENALTIES. BOTH WYNDHAM (407) 351-2420 AND CROWNE PLAZA (407) 781-2107 HAVE A 72-HOUR CANCELLATION POLICY.
Please check with your airline directly for flight cancellations or ticket reissuance.
Delta Airlines - No Change Fees For All Tickets Purchased Between March 1-31, 2020 All Tickets issued between March 1, 2020 - March 31, 2020, Ticket Can Be Changed One-Time To An Alternate Itinerary. Must Be Re-issued On/Before: February 28, 2021; Rebooked Travel Must Begin No Later Than: February 28, 2021. For more information,
visit https://www.delta.com/us/en/advisories/other-alerts/coronavirus-travel-updates
United Airlines - Waiving change fees for any bookings — domestic and international —made between March 3 and March 31, 2020. The waiver applies to all tickets, all fare types, all destinations, all points-of-sale and all travel dates available for sale. For more information, visit https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/travel/notices.html
American Airlines - Extending change fee waivers for customers purchasing travel
through March 31. For more information, visit http://news.aa.com/news/news-details/2020/American-Airlines-Update-on-China-Flights-OPS-DIS/default.aspx?reportedLocation=homePage.do
SouthWest Airlines – Southwest Airlines never charges Customers a fee to change or cancel their flight. For more information, visit https://www.southwest.com/Coronavirus/
JetBlue Airlines - Change and cancel fees waived for bookings made between March 6, 2020 and March 31, 2020. For more information, visit https://www.https://www.jetblue.com/
Aeroméxico -
English: Information and Flexibility Waivers due to the Coronavirus Outbreak
https://www.aeromexico.com/en-us/notifications-for-passengers
Español: Actualización e información por coronavirus (COVID-19)
https://www.aeromexico.com/es-mx/avisos-para-pasajeros
CALEA apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause your agency. It is important to know that as a public safety professional association the prevailing mission, purpose and values of CALEA were held as critical in making a final decision on this matter. This was not an easy decision and we understand it has impacts for everyone, but we believe it is the responsible approach.
We look forward to seeing everyone at a future CALEA Conference.