The Electronic Security Association (ESA) announced professor of criminology and criminal justice Dr. Joe B. Kuhns, Ph.D., will be the keynote speaker for the inaugural general session, sponsored by Security America RRG, at the 2017 ESA Leadership Summit Feb. 12-15 in Tampa, Fla. 

Kuhns teaches undergraduate and graduate level courses in policing, drugs, crime and research methods at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Charlotte. His scholarly research and evaluation projects focus on, among other topics, community policing in small cities and towns, managing the growth of police agencies, the relationship between violent crime and drug use, and force by and against police. 

Prior to his position at UNC Charlotte, Kuhns served as senior policy analyst at the United States Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), where he piloted the creation and development of policies, programs and evaluations of the COPS office. He is also recognized as a Choice Award winner for his work on Police Use of Force: A Global Perspective; a book about police use of force, firearms, and non-lethal weapons in various countries around the world. 

As keynote speaker of the general session on Monday, February 13 at 12:45 p.m., Dr. Kuhns will present “Burglary Victim Adaptations & What Security Businesses Should Know.” He will address the details of before and after a burglary via a study of several hundred residential burglary victims. The presentation will disclose the results of the survey and insights it brings to light in the behavioral changes of victims and their safety and security practices following victimization. 

“Residential burglary victims should know that their chances of being victimized again, following a successful burglary, are frequently high. Therefore, improving their home safety and security, in multiple ways, is highly recommended,” Kuhns said.

The 2017 ESA Leadership Summit will take place at the Hilton Tampa Downtown. 

For more information about the 2017 ESA Leadership Summit, go to www.ESA-Summit.com or contact Shannon Murphy at Shannon.Murphy@ESAweb.org or (972) 807-6835. For Leadership Summit sponsorship opportunities, please contact Jessica DaCosta via email at Jessica.DaCosta@ESAweb.org or at (972) 807-6827 or Allison Avril via email at Allison.Avril@ESAweb.org or (972) 807-6832.