APCO International is pleased to announce the winners of the 2026 Emergency Communications Center Awards and Technology Leadership Awards. The winners will be recognized during the Opening General Session at APCO 2026, APCO’s Annual Conference & Expo, taking place August 2-5 in San Antonio, Texas.
Attend a Pre-Conference Course at APCO 2026
Come early to APCO 2026 and earn additional CEUs! Two courses are offered: Crisis Negotiations for Telecommunicators, 2nd Edition, and the newly updated Customer Service in the ECC, 2nd Edition. Both courses take place on August 1 in San Antonio. Pre-registration is required.
Remember: Early registration for conference ends May 31!
Expedite Your Certification With APCO Course Bundles
The APCO Institute has introduced a new, more efficient way to train: APCO course bundles. This pilot program brings together some of APCO’s most in-demand online courses into one streamlined registration experience. Three course bundles are currently offered and are open for registration:
- PST 1 + EMD
- PST 1 + PST Instructor
- EMD + EMD Instructor
PSC May/June 2026 Issue Is Online
PSC, APCO’s bi-monthly magazine, is a membership benefit and the authoritative source of information on public safety communications worldwide. This issue includes features on:
- Paws With Purpose
- Night Moves
- Parental Safety Communications
Upcoming Webinars
- Moving Public Safety Communications Forward: A Conversation on Technology, Innovation and What’s Coming Next
May 13, 2026 | 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET - The Future of 9-1-1: How Cloud- and AI-Native Technology Is Transforming Emergency Communications
May 20, 2026 | 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET
Free for members; $59 for non-members | Worth 1 CDE
Being an APCO member has added immeasurable value to my professional and personal growth. As a member, you have access to top-notch resources, industry expertise and the opportunity to join a networking powerhouse.
Keeping You Up to Date
APCO is your source for public safety communications news that affects you, your job and your community.
APCO and Vasana Partner to Bring Wellness Tools to APCO Members
APCO International is excited to announce a new partnership with Vasana, Inc., a leader in science-backed human performance and well-being. This partnership will give APCO members access to the Vasana platform, an AI‑powered behavioral health and performance platform that supports first responders, public safety teams and high‑pressure operational environments with diagnostics, analytics and personalized resilience tools such as guided breathing, grounding and visualization practices, all structured to support real-time regulation and recovery.
Silent Key: Richard “Rich” L. Feole
Richard “Rich” L. Feole, 61, of Battle Creek, Michigan, former executive director of the Calhoun County Consolidated Dispatch Authority and a member of APCO International and Michigan APCO since 2005, passed away April 12 following a battle with cancer.
FCC Selects APCO CTO To Participate in Advisory Council
This week, the Federal Communications Commission announced the members of its Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council (CSRIC), including APCO’s Chief Technology Officer Stephen Devine.
Silent Key: Charlene Fisk
Charlene Fisk, the information and technology coordinator for the Town of Norton (Mass.) was a dedicated Life and Senior Member of APCO International. She passed away May 6, 2026.
Public Safety Supports the Development of Qualcomm’s 5G Device-to-Device Communications Tool
On May 7, the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International (APCO), together with the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), and the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA), submitted a filing to the Federal Communications Commission expressing support for Qualcomm Incorporated’s 5G device-to-device “sidelink” communications tool.
